Jonathan Grobe wrote:
On 2008-12-27, HeyBub wrote:
"Coals vary in quality, but on average, a ton of coal contains about as much
potential heat as 146 gallons of heating oil or 20,000 cubic feet of natural
gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. A ton of
anthracite, a particularly high grade of coal, can cost as little as $120
near mines in Pennsylvania.

A key point is "near mines in Pennsylvania". A major cost of
coal is transportation. So if you are not near mines in
Pennsylvania prices are going to be a lot higher. (and in
most places in the country it is very difficult to find
retail coal nowadays).


I live in the anthracite coal region and it is even an issue here. There
are some small mines close to me and they produce big box quality coal
that is ~ $120/ton. If you want good quality coal you need to have it
trucked in from nearby areas that are selling good coal for an
additional $40-50/ton transportation cost.