Coal mining
NAICS Code: 212100
BLS projects Coal mining to contract -45.3% through 2034 - 47.7 points slower than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 0% of them. It ranks among the contracting industries projected through 2034.
Where Coal mining sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where Coal mining sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
-45.3% Top 100% in the bottom 1% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Contraction read
Signature: 33.5% mean employer AI exposure across 30 tracked public companies .
BLS projects contraction even though many public companies still map to this sector - read employer grades as residual corporate exposure, not proof the industry will keep the same staffing footprint.
NAICS 212100 · 42,500 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in Coal mining.
Public companies near this industry
SEC industry labels matching tokens from Coal mining. 30 companies scored · mean AI exposure 33.5%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Alliance Resource Partners Lp | A |
| Almonty Industries Inc. | A |
| Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc. | A |
| Americas Gold & Silver Corp | A |
| Aura Minerals Inc. | A |
| BHP Group Ltd | A |
| Buenaventura Mining Co Inc | A |
| Centrus Energy Corp | A |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in Coal mining shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How Coal mining (NAICS 212100) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Support activities for rail transportation | 43,600 | +0.7% |
| Other support activities for transportation | 42,700 | +3.9% |
| Coal mining | 42,500 | -45.3% |
| Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation | 41,500 | +2.0% |
| Other transportation equipment manufacturing | 41,400 | -9.4% |
| Educational support services; local | 40,900 | +14.8% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in Coal mining?
As of 2024, the Coal mining industry employs approximately 42,500 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is Coal mining growing or declining?
The Coal mining industry is projected to decline by 45.3% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of -19,300 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near Coal mining?
30 tracked public companies whose SEC industry label matches Coal mining. Sample names include Alliance Resource Partners Lp, Almonty Industries Inc., Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc.. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the Coal mining industry?
Among 30 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 33.5% (most common grade A). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in Coal mining. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next under contraction
What to do with this
Use Coal mining's employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts