Well the second part is fairly easy but will require some construction of infrastructure. The only practical method of transportation for coal is via train. Seeing as how the RR are operating at pretty much peak capacity these days they (the RR) will need to ramp up.
My idea of a practical solution would be to use this very clean burning coal on the west coast. It’s fairly close, they need the power and all of their current Democratic messiahs are beating the drum for "clean-coal." They can practice what they preach, so to speak.
As for the first part, the recovery method? That is going to be a little tricky as the thickness of the beds vary. Rather than do it from memory we can use this...
" Utah Geological Survey
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Summary of the Coal Resources of Kaiparowits Plateau and Its Value
On the basis of a preliminary report recently released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there are 62.3 billion tons of in-place coal resource in Kaiparowits Plateau coal field. Of this resource USGS indicates that there are 30 billion tons of minable coal in various beds. According to the USGS report "These beds of coal are in areas where overburden is less than 3,000 feet thick and strata dip less than 12 . The coal tonnage is estimated for all beds of coal that are more than 3.5 feet thick, and coal tonnages in beds that are thicker than 14 feet thick are calculated as if they are only 14 feet thick." They also estimate that the total tonnage in beds of 3.5 feet to 7.4 feet is 15 billion tons. Using Utah Geological Survey figures, we estimate that 7.25 billion tons of coal are in seams of 3.5 feet to 6.0 feet which are considered uneconomical to mine in Utah. Removing this thin coal from the 30 billion tons estimated leaves 22.75 billion tons of minable coal. Applying a 50 percent recovery factor means the Kaiparowits Plateau contains an estimated 11.375 billion tons of recoverable coal.
2) ESTIMATED ECONOMIC VALUE (Bonus bid and Royalty)
The potential value of the Kaiparowits Plateau coal is calculated on the basis of 11 cents per ton of minable coal (22 cents per recoverable) plus the royalty on the basis of eight percent of the value of the total recoverable coal
Compiled by the Office of Energy and Resource Planning October 9, 1996
Now keep in mind that those estimates are 12 years old and recovery technology and a minimum criteria for "recoverability eligibility" could now be very different.
|
Average Mine Price of U.S. Coal 1995-2006
|
|
| Year |
Dollars per Short Ton
|
|---|---|
| 1995 |
18.83
|
| 1996 |
18.50
|
| 1997 |
18.14
|
| 1998 |
17.67
|
| 1999 |
16.63
|
| 2000 |
16.78
|
| 2001 |
17.38
|
| 2002 |
17.98
|
| 2003 |
17.85
|
| 2004 |
19.93
|
| 2005 | 23.59 |
| 2006 | 25.16 |
| Source: Energy Information Administration, | |
| Annual Coal Report, Annual Energy Review | |
To put it into perspective remember the Kaiparowits Plateau coal field is "virtually untouched” and the volume of it’s content can be appreciated by using this graphic...
What you see in red is 61% of the total recoverable coal as compared to all other regional mining operation. Also, it is my understanding that traditional mining techniques will be used as opposed to the surface mining of the lignite coal here in Texas.