Mines in Campbell County produced slightly less coal in 2011 than in 2010, according to figures released late Friday afternoon by the federal government. 

In 2011, mines produced 426.4 million short tons of coal. In 2010, they produced 428.3 million short tons of coal. 

The difference is about 0.4 percent.

The Mining Safety and Health Administration’s data is preliminary and could be changed in coming months.

Some mining company executives and spokesmen could not be reached for comment over the weekend about the conditions that lead to increases or decreases.

Notable among the data in 2011: 

S The number of short tons produced by North Antelope Rochelle, 109.1 million, was the highest in the basin. 

The mine also produced more coal in 2011 than the previous year, by 3.3 million short tons.

“Peabody’s North Antelope Rochelle mine is the largest and the most productive mine in the world, and it has benefitted from new coal supply agreements, an outstanding workforce, highly productive equipment and an ultra-low sulfur coal quality,” Peabody Energy Corp. spokeswoman Meg Gallagher said. “We see good opportunities for continued expansion in the U.S. and growing export volumes over time.”

At most coal mines, dips in production between 2011 and 2010 were within 1 million short tons, except for two mines owned by Arch Coal Inc. 

Arch Coal’s Black Thunder mine produced 11.2 million fewer short tons. Its Coal Creek mine produced 1.4 million fewer short tons of coal.

Kim Link, a spokeswoman with Arch Coal, said she couldn’t discuss specifics about production until the St. Louis company releases an earnings report in February.

Rawhide mine, a Peabody-owned operation north of Gillette, experienced the largest boost in production between 2010 and 2011: 33.9 percent.

Overall mine production has not returned to 2008 levels, when there were a record 451.7 short tons produced. 

Companies usually have different production data than MSHA data.

MSHA data can also differ from other federal government data, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s. 

The variances have to do with how coal is counted. For instance, MSHA only counts coal that has been produced for sale. Coal that is stockpiled or produced for use at a mine is not counted in production numbers.

There are 12 coal mines in Campbell County, which is part of the 25,000-square mile Powder River Basin, which extends into Converse, Johnson, Sheridan counties and a portion of southern Montana. 

The majority of the PRB coal is mined in Campbell County, and the PRB produces about 40 percent of the nation’s coal. 

COAL TOTALS

Campbell County coal production (in millions of tons):

1973:  .9

1974: 3.3

1975: 4.1

1976: 8.1

1977: 17.4

1978: 27.1

1979: 41.0

1980: 58.8

1981: 71.7

1982: 81.0

1983: 85.1

1984: 106.5

1985: 113.9

1986: 111.6

1987: 122.4

1988: 135.7

1989: 143.8

1990: 154.7

1991: 165

1992: 159.5

1993: 188.99

1994: 213.8

1995: 242.8

1996: 256.7

1997: 259.4

1998: 293.4

1999: 316.9

2000: 305.5

2001: 329.4

2002: 335.7

2003: 339.2

2004: 366.3

2005: 390.1

2006: 431.1

2007: 436.5

2008: 451.7

2009: 417.2

2010: 428.3

2011: 426.4

Mine Safety and Health Administration

www.msha.gov/