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Chapter Four THE COAL INDUSTRY

N orth America’s coal industry It is bested in size only by China— although China produces three times this amount. Coal is present in about 38 US states and covers an area up to one-eighth of the whole country. Bituminous coal is mainly in the Appalachian regions of the East and the Midwest, while coals from produces about 1,000 million tons (900 million metric tons) annually.

Words to Understand

automation: making a process automatic, done by machines that largely control themselves, rather than being controlled by people. fracking: hydraulic fracturing, a process of breaking up a substance using high-pressure fluids.

the West and South are mostly sub-bituminous. Canada is about the 15th largest coal producer in the world, at 65–70 million tons (58–63 million metric tons) each year. Its reserves are largely in Alberta and are the world’s 12th largest. Mexico, too, has a coal industry, but it is comparatively small, producing 16–17 million tons (14–15 million metric tons) annually.

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