Quick answer
The producing mines are 13 underground mines and 13 surface mines.[1] They produced bituminous coal, and EIA places them in the Appalachia Central coal supply region.[1] Mines in the county produced 2,424,176 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 9 percent in 2024.[1]
| Mine | Type | Coal rank | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berwind Deep Mine | Underground | Bituminous | 598,680 |
| Dry Branch Surface Mine | Surface | Bituminous | 279,715 |
| Mine No. 44 | Underground | Bituminous | 237,341 |
| Eckman Surface Mine | Surface | Bituminous | 207,946 |
| Laurel Fork Mine | Underground | Bituminous | 171,019 |
| Mine No 2 | Underground | Bituminous | 121,926 |
| Sewell Mine R | Underground | Bituminous | 91,502 |
| Shm #67 | Surface | Bituminous | 69,746 |
| Caretta #3 Mine | Underground | Bituminous | 62,792 |
| Sewell Mine B | Underground | Bituminous | 58,051 |
| Mine No. 32 | Underground | Bituminous | 45,769 |
| No.32 | Surface | Bituminous | 44,831 |
| Newhall Surface Mine No. 2 | Surface | Bituminous | 31,327 |
| Triad No. 2 Deep Mine | Underground | Bituminous | 27,208 |
| Skyway Iii Mine | Surface | Bituminous | 24,000 |
| Shm-76 | Surface | Bituminous | 22,747 |
| Newhall Surface Mine No. 3 | Surface | Bituminous | 22,457 |
| Edm No. 1 Mine | Underground | Bituminous | 21,116 |
| No 1 | Underground | Bituminous | 20,397 |
| Mine No.1 | Underground | Bituminous | 18,522 |
| Red Ash Mine No. 1 | Surface | Bituminous | 17,633 |
| Bishop Impoundment Area | Surface | Bituminous | 7,475 |
| Quarry No 2 | Surface | Bituminous | 4,596 |
| Low Gap Surface Mine | Surface | Bituminous | 2,546 |
| Bartley Surface Mine | Surface | Bituminous | 2,028 |
1 smaller mines are not listed.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Coal Report mine-level data for 2024, released November 19, 2025. Data compiled November 1, 2026.
Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.[2] Bituminous coal is the most abundant rank found in the United States, and lignite has the lowest energy content.[3] The coal leases in a 2020 West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decision carried a tonnage royalty, a minimum annual royalty and a fixed term of years.[4] West Virginia is one of the 24 states with an approved coal regulatory program, so the state is the primary regulator of coal mining there and handles permitting, inspection and enforcement, with oversight from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.[5]
West Virginia is the top coal-producing state in the Appalachian region and the second-highest producer in the United States.[6]
Coal rights can also be divided by seam: in one West Virginia case, the leases covered all the coal in all seams above a named seam on the leased tracts.[4]
The Appalachian coal region includes Alabama, eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, and underground mines supply most of its coal.[6]
What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest. The coal leases in a 2020 West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decision carried a tonnage royalty, a minimum annual royalty and a fixed term of years.[4] Coal rights can also be divided by seam: in one West Virginia case, the leases covered all the coal in all seams above a named seam on the leased tracts.[4]
Educational information only — not legal, tax, or investment advice. The figures are public reference data, not a valuation or appraisal of any interest. Consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or landman about your specific situation.
McDowell County, West Virginia had 26 producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 2,211,500 short tons of coal, according to mine-level data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Coal Report for 2024.[1] Mines in the county produced 2,424,176 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 9 percent in 2024.[1]
The mines that produced the most coal were Berwind Deep Mine (underground, 598,680 short tons), Dry Branch Surface Mine (surface, 279,715 short tons) and Mine No. 44 (underground, 237,341 short tons).[1] The next were Eckman Surface Mine (surface, 207,946 short tons), Laurel Fork Mine (underground, 171,019 short tons), Mine No 2 (underground, 121,926 short tons) and Sewell Mine R (underground, 91,502 short tons).[1] The next were Shm #67 (surface, 69,746 short tons), plus 17 more in the table above and one smaller ones the table does not list.[1]
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties. What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest.
The producing mines are 13 underground mines and 13 surface mines.[1] Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.[2]
West Virginia is one of the 24 states with an approved coal regulatory program, so the state is the primary regulator of coal mining there and handles permitting, inspection and enforcement, with oversight from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.[5]
Nearby West Virginia counties with producing coal mines include Mercer County (326,480 short tons in 2024), Wyoming County (6,672,098 short tons in 2024), Raleigh County (7,089,255 short tons in 2024), Mingo County (2,612,521 short tons in 2024) and Logan County (9,893,850 short tons in 2024).[1]
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in West Virginia
Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties
Oil and gas mineral rights in McDowell County, West Virginia
Mineral rights in West Virginia
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Mercer County
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Wyoming County
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Raleigh County
[1] Annual Coal Report, mine-level production (2024 data, released November 19, 2025) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[2] Coal explained: Coal mining and transportation — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[3] Coal explained — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[4] Iaeger Energy Development, LLC v. Moore, No. 18-0409 (memorandum decision, Jan. 13, 2020) — Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (accessed November 1, 2026)
[5] Regulating Active Coal Mines — Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (accessed November 1, 2026)
[6] Coal explained: Where our coal comes from — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
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