Metallurgical Coal Price: Range, Benchmarks and Drivers

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)). The table gives the annual averages for each year available, and the sections after it give the dealer price where one is listed and the recent events the sources report.

Metallurgical Coal price: what the sources report

The EIA Annual Coal Report 2024 puts the average sales price of US metallurgical coal at $180.02 per short ton in 2024. The Australian Department of Industry expects metallurgical coal prices to fall from currently elevated levels before stabilising in real terms to 2031, and Australian export volumes to rise to 164 million tonnes in 2028-29. The EIA series covers US exports only, so it is a price indicator and not the benchmark that Australian or contract sales use.

What recent events affect the metallurgical coal market?

• 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.

Frequently asked questions

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)).

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.

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.

Sources

Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.

1. European Commission: Study on the Critical Raw Materials for the EU 2023. Coking coal supply shares, EU import reliance and uses
2. US Energy Information Administration: Annual Coal Report 2024. Table ES-5, average price of US coal exports
3. Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Resources and Energy Quarterly, September 2026. Metallurgical coal outlook, read on the department's web page
4. US Energy Information Administration: Annual Coal Report 2024, Table ES-5
5. Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
6. EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
7. Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
8. Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
9. Warrior Met Coal, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 12 February 2026)
10. Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 February 2026)
11. Core Natural Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 17 February 2026)
12. Peabody Energy, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 19 February 2026)
13. BHP: operational review for the year ended 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K, 16 July 2026)
14. Glencore: full year 2025 production report (29 January 2026)