The Anthracite Coal revolution beginning in the mid 1700's provided an assortment of industrial advances in the United States, beginning with the Colonial iron industry, followed by the steel mills and electric power plants. Anthracite coal was first discovered in America back in the 1700's.

Pennsylvania is one of the largest coal producing states.

Anthracite coal mining takes place in several Pennsylvania counties, including Schuylkill, Carbon, Luzerne, Northumberland, Lackawanna, Columbia, Dauphin, and Sullivan counties. United States anthracite coal comes almost entirely from eastern Pennsylvania, which holds about 7 billion tons of mineable anthracite coal reserves!

Anthracite coal mining industry's safety record has drastically improved over the years, due to advanced safety training and inspections. They have improved so much, in fact, that anthracite coal mining safety is about equal to agriculture and construction industries.

For over 135 years, the Reading Anthracite Company has been a leader in the hard coal industry and all of its advancements. Today, Reading Anthracite fuels the economy by providing hundreds of local jobs.

At a time when some energy forms are scarce and costly, coal is providing energy solutions for the 21st Century. Coal generates 55% of America's electricity. It can be converted into substitute natural gas to warm our homes, transportation fuels to keep our economy moving and even hydrogen. Coal is so abundant that it reverses our reliance on foreign energy sources. Coal can handle all these enormous tasks in an affordable and environmentally friendly way. Anthracite coal is a wonderful heat source. It burns slowly and uniformly providing warm, even heat. At the current rate of consumption, Reading Anthracite's coal reserves can continue to provide energy solutions for hundreds of years.