Costs of Strip Mine Reclamation in the West

Estimated costs of mined land reclamation averaged $3,500 per acre in 1976 for western coal regions, an average of 5 cents per ton of coal produced and less than 1 percent of mine-mouth coal prices. Improvements in reclamation practices as a result of 1977 Federal legislation, as well as inflation, will boost these costs. Earthmoving and reshaping account for about 70 to 80 percent of total reclamation costs at a mine.