US coal production totaled about 19.8 million st in the week that ended Saturday, the Energy Information Administration said Thursday.

This production estimate, based on railcar loadings, is 2.4% higher than the previous week's estimate and 2.8% above output in the comparable week in 2012, EIA said.

Coal production east of the Mississippi River totaled 8.1 million st while output west of the Mississippi totaled 11.7 million st, it said.

US year-to-date coal production totaled 861.6 million st, 1.9% lower than the comparable period in 2012, EIA said.