Skip to main content
Home

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Main Menu

  • EROS Home
  • Image Gallery
  • Video Library
  • Earthshots
  • Remote Sensing Classroom

Earthshots

  • Earthshots
    • Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
      • Black Thunder Mine
      • North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines
      • The Mining Process
      • Oil
      • Animations
  • Download Cards
  • More Information
  • Contact Information
Earthshots Logo

Animations A Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA story

Energy  / 
Mining
  1. Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
  2. Animations
Description

The coal mines in the PRB advance quickly enough to see a lot of change from year to year. Two animations available here show the annual change of the mines in the regions.

The first animation shows almost one image per year back to 1984 of both the Black Thunder and North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines. The second one listed is a close-up of the North Antelope Rochelle Complex and covers the same time period.

The date of each image appears in the lower right corner.

  1. PRB coal mines: 1984–2018
  2. North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines: 1984–2018
View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

June 29, 1984, Landsat 5 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA

June 29, 1984, Landsat 5 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA

Sep. 20, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA

Sep. 20, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA

June 29, 1984, Landsat 5 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA
Sep. 20, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 34/30) — North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines, Wyoming, USA

Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA Additional Imagery & Stories

Black Thunder Mine
Black Thunder Mine

The Black Thunder Mine, shown in the series of Landsat images on the left, has sent 2.2 billion tons of coal to U.S. power plants since 1977. It produ...

Read More
North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines
North Antelope Rochelle Complex Mines

The North Antelope Rochelle Complex is the most productive of the PRB mines. In 2018, the mine sold 98.4 million tons of coal. In 2017, it accounted f...

Read More
Oil
Oil

The PRB has become about more than just coal. Oil production is also increasing. Similar to the Bakken Formation in North Dakota, new technologies are...

Read More
The Mining Process
The Mining Process

The mining process that takes place in the PRB is called surface mining. First, the topsoil is removed. The material above the coal (overburden in min...

Read More
  • DOI Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
  • Contact USGS

  • U.S. Department of the Interior
  • DOI Inspector General
  • White House
  • E-gov
  • No Fear Act
  • FOIA