And while it's true that's shrinking as a percentage of Alpha's business, because we're exporting a lot more coal this year than we have in the past, our domestic steel companies are scrambling to get coal since metallurgical coal comes mostly from underground mining.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Coal mining accounts for 90% of sales at Joy's underground division and 33% at its surface-mining unit (copper and other ores account for the rest).

FORBES: The Big Dig

Louis-based Patriot Coal agreed to phase out its mountaintop excavationsand redirect its efforts back to underground mining.

FORBES: A Turning Point for Mountaintop Removal Coal?