Maintaining Energy Security

Mining powers America, from the fuels that feed our energy grid to the metals that carry power to our homes and businesses. Coal and minerals play a key role in every stage of energy delivery.

Americans expect reliable and affordable energy, powered by a diverse mix of coal, natural gas, nuclear power, oil and renewable sources. With more domestic reserves than any other country, coal remains a key partner in America’s energy future, reducing our reliance on foreign markets and providing us with secure and affordable energy. That energy picture also includes uranium, which is critical for the nuclear industry, and renewable energy from wind turbines and solar panels made from minerals like copper, aluminum, zinc, molybdenum and silver.

The development of a viable coal-to-liquid industry in the U.S. has the further potential to expand coal utilization beyond electricity generation to the transportation sector. Poly-generation plants can produce an even wider range of products. Advances in technology and more efficient combustion systems have enabled U.S. power plants to reduce their regulated emissions by more than 60 percent since 1970, while increasing electric power output over the same period by 140 percent. In fact, a coal-fueled power plant today emits 90 percent fewer emissions than the typical plant it replaces built in the 1970s. Ongoing advancements in high efficiency, low emission (HELE) coal technologies and carbon capture and storage (CCS) hold even more promise for the future.

    Member Feature Story

    Silver Demand on Rise Due to Solar

    Demand for silver is rising, and the Silver Institute shows that global silver demand has increased by 38 percent since 2020. We shouldn’t be surprised by the rise in demand – silver has high electrical and thermal conductivity, explaining its prominent use in solar panels, among other industrial uses.... Read More

    March 19, 2024

    Maintaining Energy Security

    Silver in Solar

    When it comes to energy, we need every source available, including solar. And to make solar panels, we need silver. Silicon wafers coated in silver powder paste start the process for solar generation, and as electricity demand rises, so too will silver demand in photovoltaic technologies. Hecla Mining... Read More

    October 10, 2023

    Domestically Produced Uranium

    Depending on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Russia and China, for the materials that fuel our energy sector puts the U.S. at considerable risk. Whether it’s the minerals that build our energy infrastructure or the fuel sources required by power plants, having a domestic supply to rely on... Read More

    August 22, 2023

    Energy That Powers America

    Power sector generation from coal accounted for 20 percent of U.S. generation in 2022, and provides consistent power when demand surges and reliability is a concern. Coal is a necessary component of U.S. energy production, and it’s important to many communities throughout the country. That’s why support... Read More

    July 26, 2023

    Coal Powers the U.S.

    We rely on electricity more than ever in our world today, and so it’s important to secure reliable energy to keep lights on and heat operating. That’s why coal is such an important resource. The U.S. coal fleet is ready when peak demand hits and, with other sources of energy, balances a reliable and... Read More

    February 28, 2023