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2016 2 www.coalage.com May editor's note Clean, Beautiful Coal M uch to the chagrin of the opposition and the renew- able energy zealots, President Donald Trump said it again, "clean, beautiful coal," during his recent State of the Union Address. When he said those three words, did you cheer or cringe? Looking back across the last year, the coal industry can list several political victories. But, did Presi- dent Trump actually follow through on campaign promises? Coal Age has your answers on p. 14. As this year begins, the coal industry finds itself in the middle of a recovery. Total U.S. coal production grew by 58.5 million tons in 2017 to 786.9 million tons from 728.4 million tons in 2016, according to preliminary figures from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). That's an 8% improvement after two years of very steep declines. Some states faired better than others and a growing export market certainly helped. This edition carries two important reports: The Annual Forecast Survey (See p. 18) and the U.S. Longwall Census (See p. 24). The forecast is based in large part on a survey of Coal Age readers. Setting aside its unscientific nature and the pro-coal bias, the report sheds some light on where the coal business current- ly stands and what it expects for 2018. The good news is that most of the coal companies have more money to invest in equipment and technology to improve operations. The not-so good news is that not as many coal operators are cheering as last year. Their enthusiasm is now tempered, but they remain positive. The U.S. Longwall Census reports on the most productive underground coal operations. Three longwall installations mined more than 10 million tons last year and one set a record of nearly 13 million tons. Similar to the overall industry statistics, coal production from longwall mines grew as well. In fact, it outpaced the national average despite the fact that two longwall mines closed. While many longwall mines saw their production levels grow year-on-year, they still stand a far cry from where they were three or four years ago. This edition also carries an article from researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health related to safety training. A decade after the MINER Act was enacted, they wanted to determine if coal miners were more pre- pared for emergency responses, especially related to escapeways. Some of their findings are troubling. The article does include sources for information that can assist coal operators with this training. Looking toward 2018 and beyond, the coal industry appears to have stabi- lized. There are a number of factors that could influence its future. Most import- ant is energy demand. Export markets, as we have learned over time, can be fickle. Competitive fuels such as natural gas also have an impact. And then there's the upcoming midterm elections. For a long time, the deck has been stacked against the coal business. The deck has been passed to a new dealer and we should be happy with the cards we have been dealt. Enjoy this edition of Coal Age. www.coalage.com Coal Age, Volume 123, Issue 1, (ISSN 1040-7820) is published monthly ex- cept January, June and November, by Mining Media International, Inc., 11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306, Jacksonville, Florida 32224 (mining-media. com). Periodicals postage paid at Jacksonville, FL, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 41450540. Canada return address: PO Box 2600, Mississauga ON L4T 0A8, Email: circulation@ mining-media.com. Current and back issues and additional resources, in- cluding subscription request forms and an editorial calendar, are available online at www.coalage.com. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Visit www.coalage.com to subscribe. 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