Pittsburgh Business Times reported that with new export stats out from the US Department of Commerce, the region’s metropolitan area was responsible for 42% of the country’s mining exports in 2011, up from 39% in 2010, and the low to mid 30s in the prior two years.

Coal was by far the largest export from Pittsburgh. It was valued at USD 6.1 billion and comprised about 40 percent of our outgoing goods last year.

Some, like Consol’s CEO Mr Brett Harvey, already knew this. His company has been capitalizing on coal exports to Asia as demand for the stuff tapers in the U.S.

In May, Mr Harvey said that Greene County coal mines are the largest North American suppliers to China.

In July, company executives said during an earnings call that Consol is adding more people to its marketing efforts in China.

Mr Harvey said that “We’re well branded into China. They know Bailey, they know Enlow, they know.”

According to the Energy Information Administration, last year’s US coal exports were the higher in two decades.

Source - www.bizjournals.com

(www.coalguru.com)