They can do. Coal deposits can be very extensive and cover large areas. Sometimes the coal is at or very close to the surface, other times it’s several miles down.
In different countries the mineral rights vary. As I understand it, in the US the owner of the land can claim mineral rights and therefore, if they have coal deposits (or anything else) then it’s theirs to sell.
In some places coal is ‘strip mined’ meaning it’s simply dug out of the ground without the need for mining. If it happens that a property overlies coal deposits then the owner of the property can extract the coal this way.
I’m guessing that if someone wanted to sink a mine-shaft they would need to apply for permits (and comply with the relevant regulations). If permitted they could establish their own back-yard coal-mine.
Yes, certainly. While we don't have coal where I live, I do know of some backyards around here that have other types of mines, such as gold and gem mines.
Define 'backyard'. But probably yes. In eastern Kentucky and West Virginia that is quite frequent. I have a friend in Beattyville, KY who sells his coal to a mining company which sells to China. It is a big backyard though.
Of course mineral rights are often not part of your land title, the federal government often holds the mineral rights.
Probably yes.
