US coal production totaled about 20.3 million st in the week ended December 1, the Energy Information Administration said Thursday.
The production estimate, based on railcar loadings, is 5.9% higher than the previous week's estimate, but 10.1% lower than the estimate for the comparable week in 2011, EIA said.
Coal production east of the Mississippi River in the most recent week totaled about 8.6 million st, EIA said, while output west of the Mississippi totaled about 11.7 million st.
US year-to-date coal production came in at 940.2 million st through Saturday, 6.5% lower than the comparable year-to-date coal production in 2011, the agency said.
Meanwhile, US coal production totaled about 85.5 million st in November, some 9.2% lower than in the same month in 2011, the EIA said.
Coal production east of the Mississippi totaled about 35.9 million st in the most recent month while output west of the Mississippi totaled about 49.5 million st.
