August 4, 2006

The Utah Geological Survey has produced a new map at 1:750,000-scale showing the location of Utah’s coal resource areas. The Coal Resources Map of Utah highlights the state’s coal-bearing basins and areas within the basins that contain potentially economic deposits (those with individual beds greater than 4 feet thick and lying under less than 3000 feet of soil/rock cover).

The map shows the locations of state and federal coal leases as of late 2005. In addition to the coal deposits and leases, the map displays the locations of coal mine portals, coal-burning power plant locations, rail lines, power lines, and principal roads in the state, as well as socio-political data such as towns, county boundaries, and national parks and monuments. GIS users will find shapefiles of the various features portrayed on the map so custom maps can be prepared for individual purposes.

The map will be useful to the coal industry, power industry, government planners, educators, and general public to identify where current mining and use of Utah coal is occurring, and where future development might take place.

The Coal Resources Map of Utah is available for $24.95 in the Natural Resources Map & Bookstore located at 1594 West North Temple, Salt Lake City, 801-537-3320, 1-888-UTAH MAP, or mapstore.utah.gov.