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Audit-Ready Carbon Reporting for Coal Mining

Track coal mine methane drainage and venting, diesel equipment emissions, coal washing energy, and land rehabilitation carbon for mining operations.

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The Industry Hotspot: Coal Mine Methane Emissions

Majority from coal methane

Coal mines generate substantial methane emissions from coal seams during extraction. Underground mines have higher methane content in coal seams requiring active ventilation and drainage systems. Fugitive methane from ventilation shafts represents a major portion of the carbon footprint. Surface mines use heavy diesel equipment for excavation and hauling. Coal washing facilities consume electricity and water to remove impurities. NetNada tracks methane drainage volumes, calculates fugitive ventilation emissions, monitors diesel equipment fuel consumption, and generates SASB EM-CO disclosures.

SASB Industry Definition

The Coal Operations industry consists of entities that mine thermal coal (for electricity generation) and metallurgical coal (for steelmaking). Operations include surface mining (open-pit) and underground mining, coal processing and washing, and transportation to end users. The industry faces declining demand in developed markets due to renewable energy transition but continues operations for steel production and export markets. Coal mining generates significant methane emissions from coal seams and direct combustion emissions from diesel equipment.

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Industry-Specific Carbon Accounting

No generic solutions. Metrics, data sources, and reporting aligned to Coal Operations operations.

Coal Mine Methane Quantification

Track methane from coal seams released during mining. Underground mines: Active drainage systems capture methane before mining (pre-drainage) and from ventilation shafts (fugitive). Surface mines: Lower methane content but still released during excavation. Calculate total methane emissions per tonne coal produced applying appropriate GWP factors for climate impact.

Methane per tonne coal

Methane Drainage and Capture Systems

Pre-drainage boreholes extract methane from coal seams before mining for safety and emission reduction. Captured methane can be flared (converting to CO2 with lower warming potential) or used for power generation (displacing fossil fuels). Track drainage volumes, capture efficiency percentage, and utilization method for each mine site.

Methane capture rate tracked

Diesel Equipment Fleet Emissions

Surface mining uses haul trucks, excavators, bulldozers, and drills consuming diesel fuel. Underground mining uses diesel-powered load-haul-dump vehicles and shuttle cars. Import fuel consumption data, apply standard emission factors, and calculate emissions per tonne of coal mined or moved. Track fleet efficiency improvements over time.

Diesel per tonne coal

Coal Washing Facility Energy

Coal washing removes rock, ash, and sulfur impurities improving coal quality and reducing transport weight. Process consumes electricity for separation equipment and water for washing. Track facility energy consumption, water use, and coal washing yield percentage. Report energy intensity per tonne of clean coal produced.

Washing facility energy tracked

Progressive Mine Rehabilitation

Land rehabilitation during and after mining restores ecosystem function. Topsoil replacement, revegetation, and landform reshaping sequester carbon in restored vegetation and soils over time. Track hectares rehabilitated annually, vegetation survival rates, and estimated carbon sequestration from restored forests or grasslands per rehabilitation strategy.

Rehabilitation carbon sequestration

SASB EM-CO Metrics Automation

Auto-generate disclosure metrics including gross Scope 1 emissions, coal mine methane emissions intensity, percentage of reserves in jurisdictions with carbon pricing, and workforce safety statistics. Footnotes cite methodology per EPA coal mine methane guidelines and regional regulatory requirements.

SASB EM-CO compliant

Product Features for Coal Operations

Use Carbon Data Uploader to import methane drainage data, diesel fuel consumption logs, and coal production volumes for automated mining emissions calculation. Learn more →

The Activity Calculator applies emission factors for coal mine methane, diesel equipment, and electricity consumption—calculating comprehensive mining operation carbon footprints. Learn more →

Related Solutions

See our Carbon Accounting solution for end-to-end coal mining emissions tracking from methane drainage through equipment and processing energy.

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Coal Operations Case Studies

How entities in this industry use NetNada to solve carbon accounting challenges.

Underground Coal Mine (Metallurgical Coal, 5M tonnes/year production)

Challenge

Mine safety regulations required methane drainage to prevent explosions. Captured methane vented to atmosphere contributing substantial emissions. Investors required methane emissions intensity disclosure and utilization plan.

Solution

Deployed NetNada with methane drainage volume tracking from safety systems. Calculated baseline methane emissions from drainage and ventilation. Modeled methane utilization scenarios: flaring versus power generation for mine operations versus sale to gas grid.

Result

Installed methane-to-power generation system utilizing captured gas for mine electricity needs. Methane utilization increased from zero to seventy-five percent. Reduced purchased electricity and methane emissions simultaneously. Published methane intensity metric showing improvement over three-year period.

Surface Coal Mine (Thermal Coal, 15M tonnes/year)

Challenge

State environmental authority required greenhouse gas reporting for mines above production threshold. Diesel haul truck fleet represented largest emission source. Needed baseline emissions intensity per tonne for efficiency tracking.

Solution

Used NetNada to aggregate fuel consumption across haul truck fleet, bulldozers, excavators, and support equipment. Calculated emissions intensity per tonne of coal moved and per tonne produced. Identified high-consuming equipment for maintenance and replacement priority.

Result

Implemented haul truck optimization: route planning software reduced empty haul distance, autonomous trucks improved fuel efficiency. Diesel consumption per tonne reduced significantly over four years. Met regulatory reporting requirements and demonstrated continuous improvement in operational efficiency.

SASB Disclosure Topics for Coal Operations

Material sustainability topics beyond emissions that investors and stakeholders expect disclosed per SASB standards.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

environment

Track Scope 1 emissions from coal mine methane (drainage and ventilation), diesel equipment, and on-site coal combustion for power. Report methane intensity per tonne coal produced.

Air Quality

environment

Monitor coal dust particulate matter, diesel particulate emissions, and local air quality impacts from blasting and hauling operations.

Water Management

environment

Track water consumption for coal washing and dust suppression. Monitor acid mine drainage prevention and treatment, and groundwater contamination risks.

Land Use and Reclamation

environment

Disclose hectares of land disturbed, progressive rehabilitation practices, and post-mining land use plans. Report bond requirements for future reclamation.

Workforce Health and Safety

social

Track lost-time injury frequency, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung) screening programs, and underground mine safety protocols.

Transition Risk and Asset Stranding

business model

Disclose proved reserves economically viable under declining coal demand scenarios. Report stranded asset risk as thermal coal demand declines faster than metallurgical coal.

NetNada tracks all SASB material topics, not just emissions. Our platform supports disclosure across environmental, social, governance, and business model topics relevant to your industry.

Coal Operations FAQs

Common questions about carbon accounting for this industry

How do you calculate methane emissions from underground coal mines?
Coal seam methane is released during mining through two pathways: captured methane from pre-drainage boreholes and ventilation systems, and fugitive methane escaping through ventilation shafts. Track volumes of methane drained and methane concentration in ventilation air. Apply methane-specific GWP factor for climate impact calculation. Report per tonne of coal produced to benchmark against other mines. Utilization through flaring or power generation reduces net climate impact.
Should coal companies include downstream combustion emissions from sold coal?
Downstream coal combustion by power plants and steel mills is Scope 3 Category 11 (Use of Sold Products). This represents the largest lifecycle emission source but is outside mining operational control. Most coal companies report Scope 1 and 2 only (mining operations). Progressive companies disclose Scope 3 Category 11 separately showing full value chain impact. Calculation: tonnes coal sold multiplied by standard emission factors for coal combustion at end user.
What is the difference between thermal coal and metallurgical coal for carbon accounting?
Thermal coal is burned for electricity generation (can be displaced by renewables). Metallurgical coal is used in blast furnaces for steelmaking (essential for current steel production technology, limited displacement options). Both have similar mining emissions but different demand trajectories under climate scenarios. Thermal coal faces faster decline, higher stranded asset risk. Metallurgical coal maintains demand until green steel technologies (hydrogen-based direct reduction) become commercial scale.
How do surface mines and underground mines differ in carbon footprint?
Surface mines use heavy diesel equipment for overburden removal and coal extraction resulting in higher diesel emissions. Underground mines have lower diesel use but higher methane emissions from coal seams requiring active ventilation. Per tonne of coal, underground mines often have higher total emissions due to methane content and drainage requirements. Surface mines have larger land disturbance but easier progressive rehabilitation. Both require site-specific assessment of emission sources and reduction opportunities.
Can mine land rehabilitation offset coal mining emissions?
Revegetation of disturbed mine lands sequesters carbon in growing vegetation and restored soils. Carbon sequestration occurs over decades as forests or grasslands mature. Typical sequestration rates vary by climate zone and vegetation type. Total sequestration over mine life can offset a small portion of operational emissions (typically less than five to ten percent) but does not offset downstream combustion emissions from coal use. Report rehabilitation sequestration separately from operational emission reductions to avoid double-counting.

Track Coal Mine Methane and Equipment Emissions

See how coal operators measure methane drainage, monitor diesel fleet efficiency, and generate SASB-compliant disclosures—automated from operations data.

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