China is by far the leading hard coal producer worldwide. In 2021, the economic powerhouse was responsible for over 3.77 billion metric tons of hard coal produced. In 2021, China was also the leading global coal consumer, at 86.2 exajoules. Hard coal refers to anthracite, which has the highest density and least volatile matter among all forms of coal. In the past it was the main fuel for locomotives and today is used primarily for metallurgy. It is differentiated from soft coal, or bituminous coal, which has a lower fixed carbon content and includes greater amounts of sulfur and nitrogen.
The United States has greatest hard coal reserves
Although China has the largest hard coal production output, the United States holds the greatest reserves of the highly sought-after coal type. As of 2020, nearly 220 billion metric tons of hard coal were accessible to U.S. miners.
Coal and electricity
Anthracite is counted among thermal coals or steam coals, which are a blend of different coal types used to generate electricity. Thermal coals also include bituminous coal and lignite and may be ground into a powder and mixed depending on the furnace system they will be used for. Since 1985, worldwide generation of coal-fired power increased by roughly six petawatt hours to a peak of approximately 9.4 terawatt hours in 2020.
FAQs
China has dominated global coal production for decades and is likely to remain the highest coal producer for the foreseeable future. In 2022 alone, China mined over 3.8 billion tons of coal, accounting for more than 50% of the world's total output.
What are the top coal-producing countries? ›
Coal Production by Country
| # | Country | Yearly Coal Production (Tons) |
|---|
| 1 | China | 3,708,155,408,000 |
| 2 | India | 761,662,038,400 |
| 3 | United States | 728,364,498,000 |
| 4 | Australia | 554,763,962,900 |
62 more rowsChina has dominated global coal production for decades and is likely to remain the highest coal producer for the foreseeable future. In 2022 alone, China mined over 3.8 billion tons of coal, accounting for more than 50% of the world's total output.
What are the top 3 countries with the largest coal reserves? ›
Coal reserves 2022
| Ranking | Country | million short tons |
|---|
| 1 | United States | 274,410 |
| 2 | Russia | 178,757 |
| 3 | Australia | 165,597 |
| 4 | China | 157,847 |
130 more rowsAs an economic powerhouse requiring huge amounts of energy, China is not only the largest consumer of coal, but also the world's largest renewable energy consumer.
What are the top 5 coal producing states? ›
The five largest coal-producing states with production in thousand short tons, and their percentage shares of total U.S. coal production in 2022, were:
- Wyoming—244,730—41.2%
- West Virginia—83,448—14.0%
- Pennsylvania—39,701—6.7%
- Illinois—37,488—6.3%
- Kentucky—28,527—4.8%
Leading seaborne HCC producers include the global resource majors of BHP/Mitsubishi, Teck, AngloAmerican and Glencore.
Who is the highest quality of hard coal? ›
Anthracite has the highest quality of hard coal.
What is the hardest coal in the world? ›
Anthracite Coal
This is anthracite, the highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter.
Where is hard coal mined? ›
The Coal Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States has the largest known deposits of anthracite coal in the world with an estimated reserve of seven billion short tons.
Anthracite has a carbon content above 90% and is also called Kilkenny coal or craw coal. The United States of America is the top country by reserves of anthracite and bituminous coal in the world.
Will we ever run out of coal? ›
According to the MAHB, the world's oil reserves will run out by 2052, natural gas by 2060 and coal by 2090. The U.S. Energy Information Association said in 2019 that the United States has enough natural gas to last 84 years.
Which 3 continents have the most coal reserves? ›
The Asia Pacific region has the largest proved coal reserves, with 42.8 percent of the global reserves in 2020. Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States accounted with the second largest coal reserves, at 30.6 percent.
What country has the most coal power plants? ›
China has the greatest number of coal-fired power stations of any country or territory in the world.
Who uses the most coal in the US? ›
Texas is the largest coal energy consuming state in the U.S., using some 926 trillion British thermal units worth in 2022 in the electric power sector.
What country sells the most coal? ›
Global leading coal exporting countries 2022
In 2022, Indonesia exported some 471 million metric tons of coal, thus making it the world's largest coal exporting nation. Australia came in second, with coal exports amounting to 359 million metric tons that year.
Who is the biggest exporter of coal in the world? ›
Indonesia is the biggest exporter of coal with a total export value of $104.30 billion in 2023.
Who has the best quality coal in the world? ›
Australian coal is generally amongst the best quality coal in the world, regarded highly for its energy content, low impurity and its efficiency as a co*king agent in the production of steel.
Who is the global leader in coal production? ›
The world's leading hard coal producing countries are China, India, Indonesia, the United States, and Australia. The largest company based on production is the Indian state-controlled Coal India Limited, which produced 622 million metric tons of coal in the fiscal year 2021/2022.
How much coal is left in the US? ›
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that as of January 1, 2023, the United States' total coal reserves are around 470 billion short tons (U.S. tons). This total is considered the Demonstrated Reserve Base (DRB), which is the sum of coal in both measured and indicated resource categories of reliability.
