Availability of coal resources for future development in Illinois

Conference · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:549062

Treworgy, C ^[1]

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1. Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, IL (United States)

The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a series of studies of the availability and recoverability of coal resources in Illinois. The goals of these studies are (1) to determine the quantity, characteristics, location, cost of mining, and recoverability of resources available for future mining in Illinois and (2) to identify the significant geotechnical and land use factors that limit the availability of coal for development. Traditional estimates of coal quantities reported by the ISGS, USGS, and U.S Department of Energy, such as identified resources or demonstrated reserve base, report the total amount of coal in the ground that meets very broad criteria of thickness and drill hole spacing. While these figures are necessary for very long-range energy planning, they provide a misleading picture of resources attractive for mining over the next twenty years. Resources are deposits of coal {open_quotes}in such forms and amounts that economic extraction is currently or potentially feasible{close_quotes}. The demonstrated reserve base is that portion of the resources {open_quotes}that meets specified minimum physical and chemical criteria related to current mining and production practices{close_quotes}. In actuality, much of the resources and reserve base cannot be mined or cannot be mined profitably due to environmental and regulatory restrictions, the presence of towns and other cultural features, current mining technology, and geologic conditions.

• OSTI ID: 549062
• Report Number(s): CONF-9609232--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
AVAILABILITY
COAL RESERVES
ILLINOIS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCE POTENTIAL