A coalfield is an area of certain uniform characteristics where coal is mined. The criteria for determining the approximate boundary of a coalfield are geographical and cultural, in addition to geological. A coalfield often groups the seams of coal, railroad companies, cultural groups, and watersheds and other geographical considerations. At one time the coalfield designation was an important category in business and industrial discussions. The terminology declined into unimportance as the 20th century progressed, and was probably only referred to by a few small railroads and history buffs by the 1980s. Renewed interest in industrial heritage and coal mining history has brought the old names of the coalfields before a larger audience.
Australia
New South Wales
- Gunnedah Basin coalfields
- Hunter Valley coalfields
- South Maitland coalfields
- Sydney Basin coalfields
Queensland
- Bowen Basin coalfields
- Galilee Basin coalfields
- Surat Basin coalfields
- Walloon coalfields
Victoria
- Latrobe Valley coalfields
Western Australia
- Collie coalfields
Belgium
- Borinage Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1973)
- Campine Coalfield (1917–1992)
- Centre Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1973)
- Charleroi Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1984)
- Liege Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1980)
Canada
- Ardley coalfield
- Beersville Coalfield
- Carbon-Thompson coalfield
- Comox Coalfield
- Crowsnest coalfield
- Cypress Coalfield
- Daly-Weaver coalfield
- Dominion coalfield
- Drumheller coalfield
- East Kootenay coalfield
- Elk Valley Coalfield
- Estevan Coalfield
- Flathead Coalfield
- Gething coalfield
- Hat Creek Coalfield
- Howley Coalfield
- Inverness Coalfield
- Joggins River Herbert Coalfield
- Lethbridge coalfield
- Mabou Coalfield
- MacKay coalfield
- Mannville coalfield
- Merritt Coalfield
- Minto Coalfield
- Nanaimo Coalfield
- Onakawana Coalfield
- Peace River coalfield
- Pictou Coalfield
- Princeton Coalfield
- St. George Coalfield
- St Rose-Chimney Corner Coalfield
- Spring Hill Coalfield
- Sydney Coalfield
- Taber coalfield
- Tulameen Coalfield
- Willow Bunch Coalfield
- Wood Mountain Coalfield
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/CoalDNLBF.png/220px-CoalDNLBF.png)
Chile
- Lirquén Coalfield, Penco, Bío Bío Region
- Puchoco Coalfield, Coronel, Bío Bío Region
- Lota Coalfield, Lota, Bío Bío Region
- Curanilahue Coalfield, Curanilahue, Bío Bío Region
- Boca Lebu Coalfield, Lebu, Bío Bío Region
- Mulpún Coalfield, Mafil, Los Ríos Region
- Loreto Coalfield, Punta Arenas, Magallanes Region
China
Colombia
Colombia has the largest coal reserves in Latin America and is a major exporter.
France
- Aumance Coalfield
- Blanzy Coalfield
- Brassac Coalfield
- Carmaux Coalfield
- Champagnac Coalfield
- Dauphiné Coalfield
- Decazeville Coalfield
- Epinac Coalfield
- Gard Coalfield
- Hérault Coalfield
- Loire Coalfield
- Lorraine Coalfield (1820–2004)
- La Machine Coalfield
- Messeix Coalfield
- Nord-Pas-de-Calais Coalfield (1852–1990)
- Provence Coalfield
- St Eloi Coalfield
Germany
- Erkelenz Coalfield (1914–1997)
- Inde Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1944)
- Wurm Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1992)
- Ibbenbüren Coalfield (Middle Ages – 2018)
- Lugau-Oelsnitz Coalfield (1844–1971)
- Ruhr Coalfield (Middle Ages – 2018)
- Saar Coalfield (Middle Ages – 2012)
- Zwickau Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1979)
Great Britain
![Map of 19th-century coalfields in Great Britain](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/British.coalfields.19th.century.jpg/220px-British.coalfields.19th.century.jpg)
England
- Bristol and Somerset Coalfield
- Bristol Coalfield
- Cheadle Coalfield
- Clee Hills Coalfield
- Coalbrookdale Coalfield
- Cumberland Coalfield
- Durham Coalfield
- East Staffordshire Coalfield
- Forest of Dean Coalfield
- Ingleton Coalfield
- Kent Coalfield
- Lancashire Coalfield
-
- Manchester Coalfield
- Oldham Coalfield
- St Helens Coalfield
- Wigan Coalfield
- Leicestershire and South Derbyshire Coalfield
- Midgeholme Coalfield
- Newent Coalfield
- Oxfordshire-Berkshire Coalfield[2][3][4][5][6]
- North Staffordshire Coalfield
- Northumberland Coalfield
- Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Coalfield
- Oswestry Coalfield
- Shrewsbury Coalfield
- Shropshire Coalfield
- Somerset Coalfield
- South Staffordshire Coalfield
- Warwickshire Coalfield
- Wyre Forest Coalfield
- Yorkshire Coalfield
Scotland
- Brora Coalfield
- Canonbie Coalfield
- Central Coalfield
- Clackmannan Coalfield
- Dailly Coalfield
- Douglas Coalfield
- Fife Coalfield
- Lanarkshire Coalfield
- Lothians Coalfield
- Machrihanish Coalfield
- Midlothian Coalfield
- Northeast Stirlingshire Coalfield
- Sanquhar Coalfield
- Scremerston Coalfield
Wales
India
- South Eastern Coalfields
- Chirimiri Coalfield
- Daltonganj Coalfield
- Deoghar Coalfield
- Delhi-Jaipur Coalfield
- East Bokaro Coalfield
- Ib Valley Coalfield
- Jharia Coalfield
- Jhilimili Coalfield
- Kamptee Coalfield
- Korba Coalfield
- Makum Coalfield
- Mand Raigarh Coalfield
- Namchik-Namphuk Coalfield
- North Karanpura Coalfield
- Pench Kanhan Coalfield
- Rajmahal coalfield
- Ramgarh Coalfield
- Raniganj Coalfield
- Singareni Coalfield
- Singrauli Coalfield
- Sohagpur Coalfield
- South Karanpura Coalfield
- Talcher Coalfield
- Umaria Coalfield
- Wardha Valley Coalfield
- West Bokaro Coalfield
The Netherlands
- Limburg Coalfield (Middle Ages – 1974)
- Peel Coalfield (1955–1962)
Pakistan
Poland
Russia
South Africa
- Ermelo Coalfield[7]
- Highveld Coalfield[7]
- Klip River Coalfield[7]
- Utrecht Coalfield[7]
- Waterberg Coalfield[7]
- Witbank Coalfield[7]
Ukraine
- Bogdanovskoye coalfield
- Donets Coalfield, sometimes known by its misnomer Donetsk Coalfield
- Lviv-Volhynian Coalfield
- Dnieper Coalfield (lignite)
United States
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/The_American_Museum_journal_%28c1900-%281918%29%29_%2817972851040%29.jpg/220px-The_American_Museum_journal_%28c1900-%281918%29%29_%2817972851040%29.jpg)
Alabama
- Warrior Coalfield
- Cahaba Coalfield
- Coosa Coalfield
- Lookout Mountain Coalfield
- Sand Mountain Coalfield
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
- Book Cliffs Coalfield
- Boulder-Weld Coalfield
- Canyon City Coalfield
- Colorado Springs Coalfield
- Crested Butte Coalfield
- Dan Forth Hills Coalfield
- Durango Coalfield
- Grand Hogback Coalfield
- Grand Mesa Coalfield
- North Park Coalfield
- Nucla Naturita Coalfield
- Pagosa Springs Coalfield
- Somerset Colorado Coalfield
- South Park Coalfield
- Trinidad Coalfield
- Yampa Coalfield
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
- Cicinnatti-Southern Coalfield
- Cumberland Gap Coalfield
- Elkhorn Coalfield
- Harlan Coalfield
- Hazard Coalfield
- Jellico Coalfield
- Kenova Coalfield
- Paintsville Coalfield
- Thacker Coalfield
- West Kentucky Coalfield
Maryland
- Cassellman Coalfield
- Georges Creek Coalfield
- Lower Youghiogheny Coalfield
- Upper Potomac Coalfield
- Upper Youghiogheny Coalfield
North Carolina
Ohio
- Amsterdam-Salineville Coalfield
- Cambridge Coalfield
- Coshocton Coalfield
- Crooksville Coalfield
- Federal Creek Coalfield
- Goshen Coalfield
- Hocking Coalfield
- Ironton Coalfield
- Jackson Coalfield
- Lisbon Coalfield
- Massillion Coalfield
- Meigs Creek Coalfield
- Palmyra Coalfield
- Pittsburgh No. 8 Coalfield
- Pomeroy Coalfield
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Anthracite Coalfield (Coal Region)
- Beaver Coalfield
- Bennetts Branch Coalfield
- Bernice Coalfield
- Black Lick Coalfield (aka Nanto Glo Coalfield)
- Blossburg Coalfield
- Broad Top Coalfield
- Butler Coalfield
- Cameron Coalfield
- Clarion Coalfield
- Clearfield Coalfield
- Connellsville Coalfield
- Freeport Coalfield
- Georges Creek Coalfield
- Indian Valley Coalfield
- Indiana Coalfield
- Irwin Gas Coalfield
- Keating Coalfield
- Kittanning Coalfield
- Klondike Coalfield
- Ligonier Coalfield
- Low Grade Division Coalfield
- Mercer Coalfield
- Meyersdale Coalfield
- Moshannon Coalfield
- Mountain Coalfield
- Pittsburgh Coalfield
- Punxsutawney Coalfield
- Ralston Coalfield
- Shawmut Coalfield
- Snowshoe Coalfield
- Somerset Pennsylvania Coalfield
- Westmoreland Coalfield
- Windber Coalfield
Tennessee
- Cumberland Gap Coalfield
- Jellico Coalfield
- Lafollette Coalfield
- Rockwood Coalfield
- Soddy Coalfield
- Wartburg Coalfield
Utah
- Blacktail Coalfield
- Book Cliffs Coalfield
- Castlegate Coalfield
- Coalville Coalfield
- Emery Coalfield
- Harmony Coalfield
- Henry Mountains Coalfield
- Kaiporonitis Plateau Coalfield
- Kolob Plateau Coalfield
- Sunnyside Coalfield
- Teton Basin Coalfield
- Vernal Coalfield
- Wasatch Plateau
Virginia
- Buchanan Coalfield
- Clinch Valley Coalfield
- Pocahontas Coalfield
- Richmond Coalfield
- Southwestern Coalfield (Big Stone Gap Coalfield)
- Valley Coalfield (anthracite)
West Virginia
- Elkins Coalfield
- Fairmont Coalfield
- Greenbrier Coalfield
- Kanawha Coalfield
- Logan Coalfield
- Meadow Branch Coalfield (anthracite)
- New River Coalfield
- Panhandle Coalfield
- Pocahontas Coalfield
- Upper Potomac Coalfield
- Williamson Coalfield
- Winding Gulf Coalfield
Wyoming
- Bighorn Coalfield
- Black Hills Coalfield
- Goshen Hole Coalfield
- Green River Coalfield
- Hams Fork Coalfield
- Hanna Coalfield
- Jackson Hole Coalfield
- Powder River Coalfield (aka Gillette Coalfield)
- Rock Creek Coalfield
- Wind River Coalfield
Venezuela
See also
References
- [8]
- [8]
- [9]
- [10]
- [11]
- [12]
- Lesher, C.E. State of Kentucky – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of West Virginia and Part of Maryland – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of Ohio – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of Pennsylvania – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of Virginia – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of Tennessee – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
- Lesher, C.E. State of Alabama and Part of Georgia – Coalfields and Producing Districts (Map). Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919
Notes
- ^ "BGS Report, single column layout" (PDF). Nora.nerc.ac.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "A lithostratigraphical framework for the Carboniferous successions of southern Great Britain (onshore)" (PDF). Nora.nerc.ac.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.og.decc.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "UK COAL RESOURCE FOR NEW EXPLOITATION TECHNOLOGIES : Mining and New Technologies Summary Map" (PDF). Ukogl.org.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ E. G. POOLE (6 August 1971). "The Oxfordshire Coalfield". Nature. 232 (5310): 394–395. Bibcode:1971Natur.232..394P. doi:10.1038/232394a0. PMID 16063056. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ Kingsley G. Dunham And Einar G. Poole (21 February 1974). "The Oxfordshire Coalfield". Jgs.lyellcollection.org. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "About SA coalfields". Keaton Energy. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
- ^ a b "COAL". Pakistaneconomist.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation". www.pmdc.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 26 August 2001. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ "Coal Mining in Pakistan – Overview". Mbendi.co.za. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy". www.pakistan.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "USTDA Grant to Support Integrated Coal Mining, Power Generation Project in Pakistan - U.S. Embassy Islamabad Pakistan". islamabad.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2022.