While the rich coal deposits cover most of the state, they eventually disappear toward the west. So, the far western counties of West Virginia don't produce coal.

Instead, these western areas are rich in other fuels, such as natural gas and petroleum (oil), which have been developed since before the Civil War. The region also has a history with another important resource: natural salt brines (salty water deep underground). The salt helped with early economic growth, especially in the Charleston-Kanawha Valley area. In the early 1800s, people started using these shallow salt brines, which led to the creation of the 20th-century chemical industry.