With coal still accounting for 30 percent of electricity generated in the U.S., this resource is by no means obsolete in the national energy market. The Washington Post explores the discrepancies that exist between employment and production of mines of the West vs. mines of the East. Jürgen Brune, professor of Mining Engineering at Mines, explains how the geology of the Appalachian region prevents these mines from being as productive as the massive mines of the West. From the story: The 16 mines in the Powder River Basin produce 45 percent of the country’s coal, but only employ 10 percent of ....