Lignite Mining

What Lignite Mining Means to Texas

Coal is Economic Energy

Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel on earth and the U.S. contains 25% of the world’s total, more than any other country. At the present rate of use, these reserves in the U.S., as well as in Texas, will last at least 200 years. The major use of coal today is to generate electricity. Electrical energy from the use of coal as a fuel provides over half of the electricity generated in the United States and over 37% in Texas. Texas lignite coal produces about 25% of that electricity generated in Texas and the remaining 12% is from coal imported from Wyoming.

Coal is a solid hydrocarbon and is classified as either lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, semi-anthracite and anthracite based upon its heat energy potential. The higher ranked coal (anthracite) contains more concentrated carbon than lower ranked coals.

Texas is the 5th largest producer of coal in the United States. Coal reserves in Texas amount to some 23 billion tons, of which 10 billion tons are economically recoverable. Lignite is the most abundant coal found in Texas, generally from northeast Texas in a swath southwestward to near the Rio Grande River. Mining operations in the state are located along this area of deposits. Bituminous and sub-bituminous coal is located in some western and southern parts of the state.

Energy can be produced much more economically from lignite than from other fossil fuel sources. Long-term price stability is another positive aspect of electricity generated from lignite as a fuel. Keeping electricity costs as low as possible is very important to all Texans.

Local economies in lignite regions of the state are positively impacted by these operations. Lignite mining and the electricity produced provide approximately 33,000 safe and secure jobs to Texans and about $10.5 billion in economic impact.

Due to increases in population, Texas must double its power supply by 2025. This urgent need for more electricity must meet two demands: affordable electricity and ever cleaner technology.

 In Texas, emissions have been dramatically reduced in the past 20 years. The Texas coal-based power industry has spent over $1.0 billion since 2000 to reduce NOx emissions and now has the best NOx emission rate, as a fleet, in the nation. Overall, it has the 6th best emission rate of any state in the nation.

The Texas coal mining and power industry isn’t satisfied with what it has already accomplished, but looks forward to advancing new technology to meet the demand for ever cleaner electricity.

Emerging technologies, such as coal gasification,, and coal-to-liquid-technology, will provide more efficient and environmentally safe ways to use the state’s coal resources to make the state and the nation a better place to live, and provide the energy independence Americans need. Texas’ escalating energy needs demand that the state rely on a diversity of fuel sources to generate this energy, and coal is a crucial component of this fuel mix.

Lignite Mining Companies

* Reclamation Only
** Being Permitted