Metallurgical Coal (C): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
Metallurgical coal, also called coking coal, is the coal used to make coke for steelmaking, and China, Australia, Russia and the United States supply most of it. China supplied 52.7% of world supply on average over 2016 to 2020, according to the European Commission's 2023 criticality study. The EU study puts EU import reliance for coking coal at 66%, with Poland (26%), Australia (24%), the United States (20%), Russia (8%), Canada (5%), Czechia (5%) and Germany (2%) the main sources of supply. Metallurgical coal is on the US and EU critical minerals lists.
52.7%
of world supply came from China (2016 to 2020 average)
$169.64/short ton
average export price of US metallurgical coal (free alongside ship) in 2024
Source: US Energy Information Administration: Annual Coal Report 2024, Table ES-5
2 of 4
official critical minerals lists (US, EU, Australia, Canada) that include metallurgical coal
Which countries produce metallurgical coal?
| Country | Share of world supply |
|---|---|
| China | 52.7% |
| Australia | 18.2% |
| Russia | 8.8% |
| United States | 5.9% |
| India | 4.1% |
| Canada | 2.7% |
| Mongolia | 2.5% |
| Poland | 1.2% |
Source: European Commission, Study on the Critical Raw Materials for the EU 2023, which uses a five-year average for 2016 to 2020 because it assesses supply risk over that period. USGS publishes no metallurgical coal chapter, and the study gives shares rather than tonnages. More recent country data are published by the International Energy Agency, whose pages could not be read for this site.
What is metallurgical coal used for?
- Coke for steel: the main use of coking coal in the EU study
- Other uses: carbon fibres and battery electrodes are the other uses the EU study lists
How much does metallurgical coal cost?
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports the average 2024 price of metallurgical coal at $169.64/short ton (average export price of US metallurgical coal (free alongside ship)). Full metallurgical coal price page.
Is metallurgical coal a critical mineral?
Metallurgical coal is on the US and EU critical minerals lists. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical |
| Australia | Not listed |
| Canada | Not listed |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
Can metallurgical coal be recycled?
The EU study gives an end-of-life recycling input rate of 0% for coking coal.
What are the supply risks and recent events for metallurgical coal?
- November 2025. Metallurgical coal was added to the US Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals after public comment and interagency input.
- September 2026. The Australian Department of Industry's Resources and Energy Quarterly expects Australia's metallurgical coal export volumes to increase by about 1% a year to 2030-31, supported by steady global steel demand, with import demand growing strongly in India and Southeast Asia. Export earnings are forecast to fall from A$44 billion in 2026-27 to A$36 billion in 2030-31 in real terms.
- 2016 to 2020. The EU study found the EU imported 66% of the coking coal it used. For the processing stage it assesses for coking coal, China held 69% of global supply.
Which companies produce or process metallurgical coal?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior Met Coal | United States | Steelmaking coal producer in Alabama (NYSE: HCC) | Its 10-K says its steelmaking coal production totaled 9.3 million metric tons in 2025 and that it began longwall operations at the Blue Creek mine in October 2025, eight months ahead of schedule, raising annual nameplate capacity by 88% from 7.3 to 13.7 million metric tons. Warrior Met Coal, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 12 February 2026) |
| Alpha Metallurgical Resources | United States | Metallurgical coal producer in Central Appalachia (NYSE: AMR) | Its 10-K says it produced approximately 13.7 million tons of met coal in 2025 from 14 active underground and five active surface mines in Virginia and West Virginia, and that about 76% of its met coal tons sold were shipped internationally. Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 February 2026) |
| Core Natural Resources | United States | Coal producer with metallurgical mines in Appalachia (NYSE: CNR) | Its 10-K says it was formed by the all-stock merger of CONSOL Energy and Arch Resources completed on 14 January 2025, and names two longwall mines in the Leer Complex and the Beckley, Mountain Laurel and Itmann continuous miner mines as its metallurgical operations, with 11% of its 2025 sales tons going to the metallurgical market. Core Natural Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 17 February 2026) |
| Peabody Energy | United States | Producer of metallurgical and thermal coal (NYSE: BTU) | Its 10-K lists 2025 production at its seaborne metallurgical mines of 2.0 million tons at Coppabella, 1.8 million at Shoal Creek in Alabama, 1.7 million at Metropolitan, 1.2 million at Moorvale and 0.6 million at Centurion, with the Middlemount joint venture reported separately at 1.4 million tons on a 50% basis. Peabody Energy, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 19 February 2026) |
| BHP | Australia | Steelmaking coal producer through BMA in Queensland (ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) | Its operational review for the year to 30 June 2026 gives BMA steelmaking coal production of 18.6 million tonnes on BHP's share, up 3% from 18.0 million, or 37.3 million tonnes on a 100% basis, with FY27 guidance of 18.5 to 20.5 million tonnes. BHP: operational review for the year ended 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K, 16 July 2026) |
| Glencore | Switzerland | Steelmaking coal producer through Elk Valley Resources and Australian mines (LSE: GLEN) | Its 2025 production report gives steelmaking coal production of 32.5 million tonnes, of which 25.2 million came from Elk Valley Resources, acquired in July 2024, and 7.3 million from Australia, with 2026 guidance of 30 to 34 million tonnes. Glencore: full year 2025 production report (29 January 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is metallurgical coal used for?
Metallurgical coal is used in coke for steel and other uses. Coke for steel: the main use of coking coal in the EU study.
Which country produces the most metallurgical coal?
China supplies the largest share of metallurgical coal: 52.7% of world supply on average over 2016 to 2020, according to the European Commission's 2023 criticality study.
Is metallurgical coal a critical mineral?
Yes. Metallurgical coal is on the US and EU critical minerals lists. The United States added metallurgical coal to its list in November 2025, when the final list grew from 50 to 60 minerals. The EU study puts EU import reliance for coking coal at 66%, with Poland (26%), Australia (24%), the United States (20%), Russia (8%), Canada (5%), Czechia (5%) and Germany (2%) the main sources of supply.
How much does metallurgical coal cost?
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports the average 2024 price of metallurgical coal at $169.64/short ton (average export price of US metallurgical coal (free alongside ship)).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- European Commission: Study on the Critical Raw Materials for the EU 2023. Coking coal supply shares, EU import reliance and uses
- US Energy Information Administration: Annual Coal Report 2024. Table ES-5, average price of US coal exports
- Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Resources and Energy Quarterly, September 2026. Metallurgical coal outlook, read on the department's web page
- US Energy Information Administration: Annual Coal Report 2024, Table ES-5
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Warrior Met Coal, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 12 February 2026)
- Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 February 2026)
- Core Natural Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 17 February 2026)
- Peabody Energy, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 19 February 2026)
- BHP: operational review for the year ended 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K, 16 July 2026)
- Glencore: full year 2025 production report (29 January 2026)
