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Chapter Four
THE COAL
INDUSTRY
N
orth America’s coal industry
produces about 1,000 million tons
(900 million metric tons) annually.
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
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.
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.
Words to Understand