Buoyed by stronger exports, year-end 2018 Illinois Basin (ILB) coal production topped out at 107.2 million tons (mmt), which were nearly 4.0 mmt higher than what was produced in 2017 and 8.7 mmt higher than what was produced in 2016. Q4 2018 production was at 109 mmt annualized – the highest level since Q1 2017. Source: John T. Hanou