East Central Reporter

Rep. Blaine Wilhour has acknowledged the significance of "Miners Day" 2024, expressing gratitude to miners for their contributions to various sectors over the years. He stated, “Thank you to all of the miners who have helped to power our schools, hospitals, and electrical grid, drive our economy, and heat our homes and businesses over the centuries.” As a farmer himself, Wilhour appreciates the role miners play in extracting minerals and resources.

The history of coal mining in Illinois dates back to 1673 when Marquette and Joliet discovered coal in the region. Early settlers mined coal from shallow tunnels known as "dogholes." With industrialization in the mid-1800s, coal demand surged, leading to the establishment of larger mines with shafts or slopes.

The Civil War era saw railroads expand in Illinois, resulting in large shipping mines' development. By 1870, numerous towns were founded around these operations. Town names such as Coal City and Carbondale reflect their origins linked to coal mining.

From a peak of over 1,300 active mines in 1935, Illinois now operates about 20. The state has seen more than 7,400 coal mines since commercial mining began. Despite this decline, Illinois still holds significant reserves of bituminous thermal coal used in power plants.

In addition to coal, Illinois produces other materials like industrial sand, gravel, peat, tripoli, clay, crushed stones, gemstones, and portland cement. Tripoli is notable for its use in polishing and as a filler in various products; Illinois supplies 70% of the U.S.'s tripoli.