About 20% of U.S. coal production comes from underground mining.

Roughly 20% of all coal produced in the US comes from underground mining. When coal resources are found far below the surface of the ground and surface mining is not feasible, this technique is usually employed. In some areas, access to high-quality coal requires underground mining, which is more expensive and labor-intensive than surface mining. Underground mines are essential in regions with steep terrain or where environmental rules restrict surface mining, even if surface mining methods like strip mining are more common. In general, underground mining continues to play a significant role in the coal business in the United States, particularly in some coal-rich regions.