After coal is mined and processed, it is ready to be shipped to market. The cost of shipping coal can cost more than the cost of mining it. Most coal is transported by train, but coal can also be transported by barge, ship, truck, and even pipeline. About 68% of coal in the U.S. is transported, for at least part of its trip to market, by train. If the coal will be used near the coal mine, it can be moved by trucks and conveyors.
92% of coal in the USA is burned in electric power plants to provide electricity to the grid. Coal is also used in many industrial processes that include making steel, concrete, paper, plastics, tar, synthetic fibers, fertilizers, and medicines.
