Regional Coal-Mining Employment in the United States from 1985 to 2000

• Published in: Growth and change Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 43 - 50
• Main Authors: REED, J. DAVID, HOAG, JOHN H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.1984; University of Kentucky,College of Business and Economics
• Subjects: Coal; Coal industry; Coal miners; Coal mining; Comparative analysis; Employment; Estimates; Forecasts; Mining industry; Regional; Regionalism; Statistical analysis; United States
• ISSN: 0017-4815; 1468-2257
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2257.1984.tb00742.x

Regional demand and supply for coal is likely to change substantially by the year 2000. One important consequence of changes in coal supply and demand will be changing employment levels in coal fields. Information provided by Energy and Environmental Analysis Inc. is used to assess the likely coal-mine employment changes by the year 2000. It was found that demand for coal will be determined primarily by depletion or changes in relative fuel prices. Regional growth and transportation costs will play a relatively small role in demand. If productivity increases by the year 2000, the East, with its labor-intensive underground methods, is most likely to suffer employment losses, while the West, with its capital-intensive surface methods, should be less affected. Overall, substantial reallocation of employment by 2000 is indicated. The East and Midwest will become net losers of employment, while the Appalachian coal region and the West will exhibit considerable growth.