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News Release 400
DEPARTMENT GEOLOGISTS HOST REGIONAL COAL FORUM
Missouri has vast coal reserves
Volume 36-400 |
Contact: Hylan Beydler |
(For immediate release) |
573-368-2118 |
ROLLA, MO, JULY 3, 2008 -- Coal experts who are members of the Western Interior Basin Coal Forum met for their annual meeting at Montauk State Park in Salem on June 18. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of Geology and Land Survey served as host for the geologists from Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Scott Kaden, the department's coal geologist, organized this year's forum where discussion focused on coal production, clean coal technology, carbon sequestration, uses of and quality of the coal produced, coalbed methane, research and projects being conducted.
"Missouri has, by far, the largest coal reserves of the four states in the group. An estimated 47 billion tons of coal resources remain in the ground, with 5 million to 6 million tons identified as recoverable by either surface or underground mining," said Kaden. Missouri currently has two operational coal mines in Bates County. Kaden added, "While Missouri is rich in coal, the state imports more than 49 million tons of coal, annually."
Calendar year 2007 saw coal production dip to 236,106 tons valued at more than $8.6 million. This was down from 394,100 tons in 2006; 595,618 tons in 2005; and 578,066 tons in 2004. Coal production in 2007 from surrounding states was as follows: Oklahoma -- 1,660,118 tons; Kansas -- 428,900 tons; and Arkansas -- 59,031 tons.
The Department of Natural Resources is working on several coal-related projects, including a project for the Department of Energy evaluating coal seams for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide.
Another coal-related responsibility during this fiscal year is to update the department's coal seam maps that indicate areas of thicker coal and the amount of overburden, or material that lies between the earth's surface and the top of a coal reserve. Geologists will also update the U.S. Geological Survey's coal log database for Randolph, Chariton and Macon counties. The Department of Natural Resources provides regular updates to the U.S. Geological Survey-maintained National Coal Resources Data System Coal Quality Database.
The department's Division of Geology and Land Survey offers fact sheets, maps, trading cards and a wide variety of publications on topics including coal, as well as other rocks, minerals and fossils. Visitors are welcome to tour the Ed Clark Museum of Geology, which is open to the public from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The publications desk in Rolla can be reached by calling 573-368-2125 or 800-361-4827 or visit online at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology. For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel.
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Editor: Photo is available at http://www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel/historicalcoal.jpg.
Cutline: This graph shows Missouri's historical coal production. At the height of production, in the early 1990s, Missouri produced nearly 7 million tons of coal. Geologists estimate that 47 billion tons of coal resources remain in the ground in Missouri.
