For the third quarter, 2011, the MSHA database shows that there were 1,123 coal mines with some production of coal, approximately 1.4% above the 3Q10 level of 1,107 mines. Of these 1,123 mines, we count 381 (34%) active mines that were owned by a public company and 742 active mines (66%) that were privately held. The publicly owned mines produced 75% of U.S. coal output in 3Q11 and the private mines produced 25%. For this period, 69% of U.S. coal production came from surface mines and 31% from underground mines.
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