COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 212112

Bituminous Coal Underground Mining

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

20companies1890–1999founding years18still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedPeabody Energy CorporationFoundedPeabody Energy Corporation
1890
FoundedUnited States Steel CorporationFoundedUnited States Steel Corporation
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedMassey Energy CompanyFoundedMassey Energy Company
1924
FoundedIscor LimitedFoundedIscor Limited
1927
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedMorrison Knudsen Corporation
1932
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedGrupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V.FoundedGrupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
1965
FoundedRAG AGFoundedRAG AG
1968
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedSasol LimitedFoundedSasol Limited
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedCONSOL Energy Inc.FoundedCONSOL Energy Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedAnglo American PLC
1999
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Peabody Energy Corporation →
Active · founded 1890
Peabody Energy Corporation is the largest private-sector coal company in the world.
Peabody Energy Corporation →
Active · founded 1890
Peabody Energy Corporation is the largest private-sector coal company in the world.
United States Steel Corporation →
Active · founded 1901
The United States Steel Corporation is the largest integrated steel company in the United States and the 11th largest…
United States Steel Corporation →
Active · founded 1901
The United States Steel Corporation is the largest integrated steel company in the United States and the 11th largest…
Massey Energy Company →
Active · founded 1924
Richmond, Virginia-based Massey Energy Company is one of the top coal miners in the United States.
Massey Energy Company →
Active · founded 1924
Richmond, Virginia-based Massey Energy Company is one of the top coal miners in the United States.
Iscor Limited →
Active · founded 1927 · South Africa
Iscor Limited has surprised the worldwide steel industry by shedding its valuable mining assets--spun off as publicly…
Iscor Limited →
Active · founded 1927 · South Africa
Iscor Limited has surprised the worldwide steel industry by shedding its valuable mining assets--spun off as publicly…
Morrison Knudsen Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1932
Morrison Knudsen Corporation (MK) has long stood as one of the world's largest engineering and construction…
Morrison Knudsen Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1932
Morrison Knudsen Corporation (MK) has long stood as one of the world's largest engineering and construction…
Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1965 · Mexico
Grupo Mexico, S.A.
Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1965 · Mexico
Grupo Mexico, S.A.
RAG AG →
Active · founded 1968 · Germany
RAG AG is one of the world's leading hard coal producers and Germany's number one coal producer.
RAG AG →
Active · founded 1968 · Germany
RAG AG is one of the world's leading hard coal producers and Germany's number one coal producer.
Sasol Limited →
Active · founded 1979 · Republic of South Africa
Sasol Limited was formed in 1979 to hold the assets of the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) and its…
Sasol Limited →
Active · founded 1979 · Republic of South Africa
Sasol Limited was formed in 1979 to hold the assets of the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) and its…
CONSOL Energy Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
During this same period, CONSOL expanded its coal holdings.
CONSOL Energy Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
During this same period, CONSOL expanded its coal holdings.
Anglo American PLC →
Active · founded 1999 · United Kingdom
Anglo American PLC is considered the world's largest gold-mining organization.
Anglo American PLC →
Active · founded 1999 · United Kingdom
Anglo American PLC is considered the world's largest gold-mining organization.
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