as , ▁Virginia ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁ ▁at ▁P oc ah ont as ▁Mine ▁No . ▁ 1 , ▁now ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places . ▁▁ ▁The ▁coal ▁se ams — P oc ah ont as ▁No . ▁ 3 , ▁No . ▁ 4 , ▁No . ▁ 6 , ▁and ▁No . ▁ 1 1 — are ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁coal ▁to ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁and ▁are ▁r ated ▁at ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁B tu / lb ▁( 3 5 ▁M J / kg ). ▁ ▁This ▁operation , ▁re ple te ▁with ▁be eh ive ▁co ke ▁o vens , ▁eventually ▁spawn ed ▁the ▁P oc ah ont as ▁F uel ▁Company , ▁which ▁operated ▁mines ▁in ▁Virginia ▁at ▁Bo isse v ain ▁and ▁Am on ate , ▁and ▁in ▁West ▁Virginia ▁at ▁J enk in j ones , ▁Bishop , ▁and ▁It mann . ▁ ▁History ▁Later ▁P oc ah ont as ▁F uel ▁Company ▁( former ly ▁P oc ah ont as ▁Cons olid ated ) ▁was ▁absor bed ▁into ▁Cons olid ation ▁Co al ▁Company , ▁which ▁still ▁mines ▁coal ▁at ▁Am on ate . ▁ ▁The ▁mines ▁at ▁P oc ah ont as ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁ship ▁coal ▁when ▁the ▁Nor folk ▁& ▁Western ▁Railway ▁bought ▁the ▁New ▁River ▁Rail road ▁and ▁extended ▁a ▁branch ▁line ▁there . ▁ ▁As ▁this ▁rail road ▁was ▁extended ▁west ward ▁through ▁Mer cer ▁and ▁Mc