ðə pətˈɛnʃəl wˈɛlθ ʌvðə kˈoʊlfiːldz wʌz bɹˈɔːt fˈɔːɹwɚd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɪks baɪ pɹəfˈɛsɚ tˈænæt wˈɪljəm ˈɛdʒwɜːθ dˈeɪvɪd hˌuː loʊkˈeɪɾᵻd ɐn ˈaʊtkɹɑːp ʌv fˈɜːst ɡɹˈeɪd kˈoʊl æt dˈiːp kɹˈiːk, nˌɪɹ ðə pɹˈɛzənt tˈaʊnʃɪp ʌv ˌæbɚmˈeɪn.
The potential wealth of the coalfields was brought forward in 1886 by Professor Tannatt William Edgeworth David who located an outcrop of first grade coal at Deep Creek, near the present township of Abermain.