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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana coal production is more than 2 million tons ahead of where it was this time last year, but analysts say the future is far from bright for the fossil fuel.
The Billings Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/2eEohx8 ) Saturday that last year was the nation's lowest coal production year since 1978, and although this year is looking up, the first seven months of 2017 still trail 2015 production by about 6 million tons. The Montana Coal Council compiles the production numbers.
Most of the state's production is coal mined from Spring Creek, a Cloud Peak Energy mine in southeast Montana.
Cloud Peak Energy spokesman Rick Curtsinger says the company experienced a large increase in sales to Asia customers from last year to this year.
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Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com
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