Montana Coal Council
Working for the Coal Industry of Montana
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Montana Coal Production & Employment
Production and Value
The following chart shows production for 1998 through 2007. The price per ton at the various sites depends on the quality of coal (heating value, moisture content, sulfur and ash content, etc.) but an average for Fiscal Year 2007 was $7.81 per ton making the value of that coal over $337 million. The price is established by the Department of Revenue after three state and two federal taxes are deducted.
| Coal Production | |
|---|---|
| Year | Production (Million Tons) |
| 1998 | 42.6 |
| 1999 | 41.1 |
| 2000 | 38.3 |
| 2001 | 39.2 |
| 2002 | 37.3 |
| 2003 | 37.0 |
| 2004 | 40.1 |
| 2005 | 40.6 |
| 2006 | 41.8 |
| 2007 | 43.2 |
Source: Department of Labor & Industry, Safety Bureau
Employment and Payroll
Montana's surface mining industry furnishes some of the highest-paying and most sought-after jobs in the state. Below are the employment and payroll figures for 2007.
| Employment and Payroll | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number of Employees |
Estimated Payroll |
|
| Bull Mountain | 25 | $2,600,000 |
| Decker Coal Co. | 155 | $8,600,000 |
| Spring Creek Coal | 207 | $19,272,000 |
| Western Energy Co. | 409 | $27,964,000 |
| Westmoreland Resources | 166 | $7,816,000 |
| Westmoreland Savage | 12 | $550,000 |
| Total | 974 | $66,802,000 |
Source: Individual Companies