WVGES logoAbout The Coal Bed Mapping Project


Our Project's Goals

The goal of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey's Coal Bed Mapping Project (CBMP) is to create a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based inventory of coal in the great state of West Virginia.

CBMP is part of a cooperative effort called the Mineral Lands Mapping Program (MLMP) with the West Virginia Department of Tax and Revenue (Mineral Parcel Mapping Project) and West Virginia University GIS Technical Center in the Department of Geology and Geography (Digital Line Graph Project).

Map Products

CBMP geologists and GIS analysts are creating a series of coal resource maps and GIS map layers, or coverages, for each minable or potentially minable bed in West Virginia. These coal resource maps are now available to the public in an exciting new fully interactive format, via our Internet Map Server. Create and print your own custom maps! Among the map layers available to select and display are: structural contours, elevation control points, mined and remaining coal areas, geological discontinuities, total bed thickness, net coal thickness, percent parting, and thickness control points for 42 different coal beds. In addition, the user can turn on or off county lines, 7.5-minute quadrangle outlines, and georeferenced image mosaics of the USGS 7.5-minute topographic maps.

Click here for a detailed description of all the Coal Bed GIS Coverages that are available. These datasets are also available for purchase on CD-ROM, just contact the friendly staff at the WVGES to order your copy.

Click here for more information about General West Virginia Geology and Stratigraphy, especially if you are unsure of which coal group or formation you may want to view.

WVGES Welcome Page  CBMP Welcome Page  Explanation of Coverages   Formations/Groups Page