According to the US Energy Information Administration, coal production in the United States is concentrated in 16 mines in the Powder River Basin (PRB), which represent more than 40% of total domestic coal production. PRB is a mining region located in northeast Wyoming and southeast Montana. Moreover, four companies own 10 mines producing 87% of the PRB coal production (2018). Two of the companies, namely Cloud Peak (production of 50 Mt in 2018) and Blackjewel (around 35 Mt), filed for bankruptcy in 2019, and the two remaining, namely Peabody and Arch Coal, are considering creating a joint venture that would include some of the PRB mines. Peabody is the largest producer with nearly 120 Mt (short tons), including nearly 100 Mt at its North Antelope Rochelle mine, followed by Arch Coal with nearly 80 Mt (including over 70 Mt at its Black Thunder mine).
PRB coal production reached a peak of 496 Mt (short tons) in 2008 before declining to 314 Mt in 2016; production has slightly recovered since then, reaching 324 Mt in 2018. Most of the production is consumed by the US power sector, but demand has decreased while the US electricity demand has remained relatively flat in recent years. This lower domestic demand has been partly offset by rising demand for coal exports (relatively low volumes of sub-bituminous coal from PRB mines, though rising).