U.S. Coal Industry Suffers, while Coal Use Grows Dramatically in India and China, Business and Industry Trends Analysis

America’s coal industry has been suffering a serious downturn.  Federal regulations have encouraged electric utilities, a major user of coal, to either install extremely expensive environmental controls on coal plants or switch to cleaner-burning natural gas for fuel.  Today’s low price for natural gas is accelerating this trend.  Market prices for coal have plummeted.  Many mines have ceased production, and layoffs have been significant. A bright spot in the U.S. coal industry may be coal from the Illinois Basin.  This particular coal burns hotter than many other types, making it more emission-efficient, and it is well suited to today’s scrubber-equipped…

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