Maintaining Energy Security

Mining powers America, from the fuels that feed our energy grid to the metals that carry power to our homes and businesses. Coal and minerals play a key role in every stage of energy delivery.

Americans expect reliable and affordable energy, powered by a diverse mix of coal, natural gas, nuclear power, oil and renewable sources. With more domestic reserves than any other country, coal remains a key partner in America’s energy future, reducing our reliance on foreign markets and providing us with secure and affordable energy. That energy picture also includes uranium, which is critical for the nuclear industry, and renewable energy from wind turbines and solar panels made from minerals like copper, aluminum, zinc, molybdenum and silver.

The development of a viable coal-to-liquid industry in the U.S. has the further potential to expand coal utilization beyond electricity generation to the transportation sector. Poly-generation plants can produce an even wider range of products. Advances in technology and more efficient combustion systems have enabled U.S. power plants to reduce their regulated emissions by more than 60 percent since 1970, while increasing electric power output over the same period by 140 percent. In fact, a coal-fueled power plant today emits 90 percent fewer emissions than the typical plant it replaces built in the 1970s. Ongoing advancements in high efficiency, low emission (HELE) coal technologies and carbon capture and storage (CCS) hold even more promise for the future.

Member Feature Story

Silver in Solar

When it comes to energy, we need every source available, including solar. And to make solar panels, we need silver. Silicon wafers coated in silver powder paste start the process for solar generation, and as electricity demand rises, so too will silver demand in photovoltaic technologies. Hecla Mining... Read More

Maintaining Energy Security

Domestically Produced Uranium

Depending on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Russia and China, for the materials that fuel our energy sector puts the U.S. at considerable risk. Whether it’s the minerals that build our energy infrastructure or the fuel sources required by power plants, having a domestic supply to rely on... Read More

Energy That Powers America

Power sector generation from coal accounted for 20 percent of U.S. generation in 2022, and provides consistent power when demand surges and reliability is a concern. Coal is a necessary component of U.S. energy production, and it’s important to many communities throughout the country. That’s why support... Read More

Coal Powers the U.S.

We rely on electricity more than ever in our world today, and so it’s important to secure reliable energy to keep lights on and heat operating. That’s why coal is such an important resource. The U.S. coal fleet is ready when peak demand hits and, with other sources of energy, balances a reliable and... Read More

Steadfast Service for U.S. Energy Needs

The U.S. is facing an impending reliability crisis as we head into the cold months of winter, but there’s a reliable power source we can mine right here in the U.S: coal is a reliable and affordable source of energy and is an important piece of an all-of-the-above energy policy to ensure power to heat... Read More

Supporting Uranium Projects

To supply energy to the grid, America needs a variety of energy sources, including coal, renewables, natural gas and nuclear power. Uranium, the material behind nuclear power, provides reliable and steady energy generation while also providing low greenhouse gas output. Nuclear power is efficient, producing... Read More

Copper to Power Us

When we think of energy, we often think of the fuels that produce the energy. But getting the energy from the source to our homes and businesses is just as important, and for that, we need copper. Its high conductivity and ductility make copper ideal for wiring, and copper is also a necessary component... Read More

Affordable Energy to Rely On

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released a reliability assessment in 2022, warning about capacity shortfalls and reliability concerns throughout the summer. As the grid adds more renewable energy and takes baseload power from fuel sources like coal offline, our steady supply... Read More

Uranium Powers Our Lives

Nuclear power is a reliable baseload source of energy that offers both reliability and sustainability. This zero-emissions power generation is relied on across the U.S., with 28 states relying on at least one nuclear power plant in 2020. So it’s important to source the uranium on which nuclear power... Read More

Working to Meet the Demand for Coal

In a time when natural gas prices are skyrocketing, coal provides the much-needed flexibility the U.S. grid needs to keep electricity prices affordable. Coal demand is currently high as the nation recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s not hard to understand why. Coal is plentiful,... Read More

Rare Earths in Energy

An abundance of minerals and metals go into advanced energy technologies, including rare earth metals. Applications include turbine magnets for wind power generation and solar cells. These metals (which are actually not that rare) are difficult to mine economically, and until recently have been mined... Read More

Reliability in Energy

Reliable energy is an absolute necessity in our time. But some forms of energy generation are more consistently available than others. Relying on fuel that must be carried in by pipeline or generated by cooperative weather can leave an electricity grid vulnerable, and that’s why having a varied fuel... Read More

The Metal Behind Wind Power

A strong electricity grid employs an all-of-the-above energy policy, which includes coal, nuclear and renewable sources of power, like wind. Major inputs to wind turbines are minerals and metals, such as copper. Wind turbine coil windings of the stator and generator, high-voltage power cable conductors,... Read More

Ur-Energy, Nuclear Energy to Rely On

Uranium is the basis for nuclear power, a clean, reliable baseload energy source. Nuclear power provides a high capacity of energy production, something that is an issue for intermittent sources of energy. As a baseload power, nuclear supplies energy precisely when it’s needed in a reliable way making a... Read More

Peabody, Energy We Rely On

In the U.S., 28 percent of our electricity comes from coal-fired generation. This reliable fuel is one of America’s many abundant resources, and we are fortunate to have the coal mines and miners working each and every day to supply our power plants. There are currently 116,000 direct coal mining jobs... Read More

CONSOL Energy: Coal Mining is a Life Sustaining Industry

CONSOL Energy Inc. is a publicly owned PA-based producer and exporter of coal. Its origins date to 1860, and today CONSOL provides coal to over 13 states and is shipped to 5 continents. Coal powers our daily life, and CONSOL Energy provides that resource to communities across the nation. CONSOL Energy... Read More

Usibelli Coal Mine: Energy and Community Support

With vast coal reserves and world-class coal mining, America is home to abundant natural resources that provide efficient, low-cost energy. Coal companies are not only vital to communities across the country and around the world for providing the electricity that people rely on, but when communities... Read More

Standard Lithium: Maintaining Energy Security

Lithium is a key element of the world’s energy future. Lithium is used in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. A conservative estimate from Global Market Insights predicts energy storage and automotive lithium ion battery demand to double by 2024. So... Read More

American Voters Want to Prioritize Pro-Mining Policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the president prepares to deliver his third State of the Union address, U.S. voters want to see government action on a number of issues key to the mining industry – from reducing the nation’s alarming mineral import reliance by encouraging domestic mining to leading in developing... Read More

Peabody Honors Best-In-Class Clean Coal Technologies

At the end of 2018, Peabody honored best-in-class clean coal technologies with the company's Fifth Annual Peabody Global Clean Coal Leadership Awards. The awards recognized outstanding examples of leadership and innovation among coal-fueled generating plants and projects, with honorees from China, India and... Read More

Mining Provides the Resources for the Season

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time for festive lights and decorations, colder temperatures, holiday feasts and a big jump in energy use. Coal and minerals like copper play a key role in every stage of energy delivery and demonstrate just how important mining is for every season. Mining... Read More

Lignite Energy Council: Maintaining a Viable Lignite Coal Industry

More electricity in North Dakota is generated with coal than with any other fuel. In fact, the state continues to be one of the country’s top coal-producing states, mining approximately 30 million tons every year since 1988. Most of the region’s electricity is generated from lignite across seven power... Read More

Energy Fuels: Helping Meet America’s Baseload Power Needs

Americans expect reliable and affordable energy, powered by a diverse mix of coal, natural gas, nuclear power, oil and renewable sources. Energy Fuels is a critical partner in keeping America’s energy mix diverse by providing fuel for the nation’s commercial nuclear fleet. Uranium, the only source... Read More

Lighthouse Resources: Exporting U.S. Coal to the Pacific

America is blessed to be home to abundant natural resources that provide efficient, low-cost energy. With vast coal reserves and world-class coal mining, the U.S. coal industry provides job and economic growth to the United States. It is also important to our allies in the Pacific. Many Asian countries... Read More

Cloud Peak Energy: Energy to Power the Country… and the World

Coal is a key part of America’s energy picture, working alongside natural gas, nuclear power, oil and renewable sources to ensure Americans and the world have access to affordable, reliable energy year-round. That’s why companies like Wyoming-based Cloud Peak Energy focus on building long-term relationships... Read More

Arch Resources: Boosting American Energy Security

Coal-based electricity is a major part of the American lifestyle. In fact, a third of all electricity consumed by American households and businesses comes from coal. If you have turned on your computer, flipped on a light, or microwaved a quick snack, there is a chance that you are using coal-based electricity. The... Read More

CNX Coal Resources: A Key Partner in Fueling America

Last month, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt visited CNX Coal Resource’s Harvey Mine and training complex in Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine is part of one of the largest underground coal mine complexes in the country. Featuring an array of the latest mining technologies, it showcases modern mining and the... Read More

Uranium: An Abundant Source of Concentrated Domestic Energy

Uranium is a naturally radioactive chemical element that is essential for our energy sector, and it is found naturally occurring around the world. Uranium, commonly found in the form of uranium dioxide, is most often used as a source of concentrated energy in the nuclear power industry. When the element... Read More

Usibelli Coal Mine: Keeping Alaskans Warm this Winter

As temperatures dip well below zero at its headquarters near Healy, Alaska, Usibelli Coal Mine provides affordable, reliable and clean burning coal to provide heat and power to Alaskans throughout the winter. In fact, the mine produces approximately 1.4 million tons of coal per year – a huge jump... Read More

Wyodak Coal Mine: Mining Powder River Coal to Power the Nation

Founded nearly 100 years ago, Wyodak Resources Development Corporation is the oldest coal mine in the Powder River Basin and the oldest continuously operating surface coal mine in the U.S. Around 40 percent of the country’s coal comes from this basin, located between southeast Montana and northwest... Read More

Cloud Peak Energy Delivers Reliable, Affordable Coal Across the U.S.

Coal is a key part of America’s energy picture, working alongside natural gas, nuclear power, oil and renewable sources to ensure Americans have access to affordable reliable energy year-round. The U.S.’s diverse energy picture ensures that price increases in any one fuel can be offset by another.... Read More