List of Top 10 Coal Producing Countries 2024

List of Top 10 Coal Producing Countries: Coal is produced commercially in more than 50 countries. In the 20 years after 1999, the amount of coal produced has increased by 70% to 7,921 million metric tons (Mt) in 2019. With an output of 803.2 Mt, Germany was the world’s greatest producer of brown coal (lignite) in 2018. Currently, China is the world’s first-largest producer of coal, followed by India and the US. Whereas coal production in Europe has decreased, it has expanded most in Asia. Global coal production has been steady since 2011, with rises from China, Indonesia, and Australia offsetting declines in the US and Europe. In this article, we will look into the list of top 10 coal-producing countries.

In this article, we will discuss the List of Top 10 Coal Producing Countries in 2024, along with a detailed explanation of each country.

Top Coal Producing Countries In 2024

The crisis in Ukraine caused supply disruptions, which led to an 8.2% increase in global coal output in 2022. More than 70% of the world’s coal is produced in Asian countries, where China, India, and the United States produced the most, accounting for 11% of the rise in production in 2022. Due to heavy rainfall and flooding, Australia’s coal output grew slightly (+0.8%). China continues to be the world’s largest producer of coal and lignite, making up over half of the supply (51% in 2022), and its share has increased by +4% points since 2019. India and the US, in that order, are the next two major producers.

List of Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

The following table lists the top 10 coal-producing countries in the world:

Rank	Country	Production (Million Tonnes)	Coal Reserves (Billion Tonnes)	Potential Changes in 2024	Major Companies	Export Status
1	China	4,430	232	China aims to stabilize or slightly decrease coal production in 2024, focusing on cleaner energy sources.	Shenhua Energy, China National Coal Group, Yankuang Energy Group	Net importer
2	India	937	258	India might see a slight increase in coal production in 2024 to meet its growing energy demand.	Coal India Limited, NTPC Limited, Singareni Collieries	Major exporter
3	United States	540	252	The United States might see a slight decrease in coal production in 2024 due to the shift towards renewable energy.	Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, Cloud Peak Energy	Major exporter
4	Australia	459	151	Australia’s coal production is expected to remain stable or slightly decrease in 2024.	BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals Group	Largest exporter
5	Indonesia	690	144	Indonesia’s coal production is projected to remain stable or slightly increase in 2024.	Adaro Energy, Bukit Asam, Bumi Resources	Major exporter
6	Russia	440	160	Russia’s coal production might see some increase in 2024 due to global energy market dynamics.	SUEK, Mechel, SDS-Ugol	Major exporter
7	South Africa	225	91	South Africa’s coal production is anticipated to remain stable in 2024.	Sasol, Exxaro Resources, Thungela Resources	Major exporter
8	Germany	131	83.7	Germany is phasing out coal and aims to significantly decrease production by 2024.	RWE, LEAG, MIBRAG	Minor exporter
9	Poland	107	161	Poland’s coal production is expected to remain stable or slightly decrease in 2024.	PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna, Wzgórze, Tauron Wydobycie	Major exporter
10	Kazakhstan	109	34.2	Kazakhstan’s coal production might see a slight increase in 2024.	ArcelorMittal Temirtau, Shubarkol Komir, National Company Kazakhmys	Major exporter

China – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

China is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal as well as the biggest user of power produced from coal. China imports coking coal to make high-grade steel, although it produces much of the thermal coal (both black and brown coal) it uses for energy.

• The primary coal-producing provinces are Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. The majority of the country’s coal is found in its north and northwest.
• The China National Coal Association predicted that in 2021, China would generate 3.84 billion tonnes of coal, making it the world’s largest producer of coal. China produced more than 3.8 billion tons of coal in 2022, which is more than 50% of the global output.
• The Haerwusu coal mine is China’s biggest open-pit mine. It is located in the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia. It is run by Shenhua Group, and production began in 2008. In the fourth quarter of 2008, an estimated 7 million tonnes of coal were produced there.
• As of the 2020s, China is the world’s biggest importer of coal, with major supplies coming from Indonesia and Russia. Imports of coking coal from Mongolia and the US increased in 2020 following the boycott of Australian coal.
• In 2021, China had 1080 GW of installed coal-based electrical capacity, or over half of all installed capacity. In 2020, 57% of electricity was produced by coal. China produces more than half of the world’s coal-fired electricity. The first half of 2021 marked the approval of 5 GW of new coal power.
• According to current projections, as the carbon-intensive sector modernizes, China’s coal output will progressively fall from its peak after the 2030s. To diversify the energy mix, enormous expenditures are also being made in nuclear power facilities and the expansion of renewable energy production.

India – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

India has been mining coal since 1774, and as of FY 2022, it mined 777.31 million metric tons (856.84 million short tons), making it the country’s second-largest producer and consumer of coal behind China. About thirty percent of coal is imported. India imports coking coal to make up for the scarcity of domestic supplies because of demand, supply imbalances, and low quality with high ash content.

• The largest coal-producing city in India, Dhanbad, has earned the title of “coal capital of India.” From the time of its nationalisation in 1973 until 2018, the state-owned Coal India held a monopoly on coal mining.
• In India, coal is the most important and available fossil fuel. It supplies 55% of the nation’s energy requirements. The nation’s industrial legacy was founded on coal.
• Over the past forty years, India’s commercial primary energy consumption has increased by approximately 700%.
• India currently consumes roughly 350 kg of primary commercial energy per year per person, far less than developed nations.
• India’s energy consumption is predicted to increase due to the country’s growing population, developing economy, and desire for a higher standard of living.
• India’s energy future will continue to revolve around coal due to the limited reserve potential of natural gas and petroleum, restrictions on hydroelectric projects due to environmental protection, and the country’s geopolitical view of nuclear power.
• The implementation of contemporary technologies and a consistent investment program have enabled a 7.9% increase in coal output, bringing the total amount of coal produced in India to 730.354 million tonnes in 2018–19 (Provisional).
• To meet the demands of the consuming sectors in different regions, Coal India Limited established Regional Sales Offices and Sub-Sales Offices at certain locations around the nation.

United States – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

In the US, the coal-producing business is changing. Compared to 2008, when output peaked at 1,171.8 million short tons, 2019 production was 40% lower. The coal sector’s employment has decreased, from a peak of 883,000 in 1923 to 43,000 currently. The main application of coal is in the production of electricity, which accounted for 50% of total energy production in 2005 and 27% in 2018.

• In 2018, the United States consumed the least coal in almost forty years, with coal extraction falling to 755 million short tons.
• Coal mining in the United States reached 775 million short tons in 2017. US coal mining production fell to 728.2 million short tons in 2016, a 37 percent decrease from the record of 1,172 million tons in 2008. The United States mined 896.9 million short tons of coal in 2015, bringing in $28.6 billion at an average price of $31.83 per short ton.
• By the end of July 2022, there were about 38,400 miners working in the coal sector.
• In 1923, there were 863,000 coal miners employed in the US, marking the highest point of the industry.
• Approximately 80% of the mined production in the western US is made up of federal coal, and as of 2013, 41% of US coal production came from federal property. The US Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in command of the federal coal program.
• Over time, the output of lower rank coal (lignite and subbituminous) has increased while production of higher rank coal (anthracite and bituminous coal) has decreased. This has resulted in a decrease in the average heat content of mined US coal.

Australia – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

Australia has coal mines in every state. New South Wales and Queensland have the greatest reserves of black coal. The majority of the remaining coal that is mined in Australia is utilized to generate energy, with the remaining 70% being exported, primarily to eastern Asia. Australia was the world’s largest exporter of metallurgical coal and the second-largest exporter of thermal coal in 2019–20, with 390 Mt of coal exported.

• There are two types of coal found in Australia: bituminous coal, sometimes known as black coal, and lignite, or brown coal.
• In New South Wales and Queensland, bituminous coal is mined. It is exported as well as utilized to generate electricity domestically. Open-cut or subterranean mining occurs.
• Rail is used to move the coal to export shipping terminals or power plants.
• Australia’s Victoria and South Australia produce lesser-quality lignite, which has a reduced thermal value mostly from a high-water content.
• Although lignites’ ash level varies greatly, certain Australian lignites have comparatively low ash contents. Three open-cut lignite coal mines in Victoria produced coal in 2013, which was used to generate electricity.

Indonesia – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

With an annual production of more than 500 million tons, Indonesia has lately risen to the fifth position among the world’s top coal miners.

• In Indonesia, the most popular coal mining regions are Central and South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and South Sumatra.
• China purchases the majority of Indonesia’s coal exports, which amount to around $20 billion annually.
• Indonesia’s coal output increased by 12% in 2022 as a result of an impressive recovery in demand in Asia and Europe.
• It mines a wide variety of thermal and coking coal forms and has the fifth-largest coal reserves in the world.
• In 2010, the capacity of local coal-fired power plants has more than doubled to satisfy the rising demand for electricity in homes.

Russia – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

According to recent world figures, Russia ranks sixth among countries that produce coal, with an anticipated 423 million tons of coal produced in 2022.

• The majority of Russian coal reserves are located in the Siberian and Russian Far East basins and are classified as brown coal or lignite.
• Significant coal reserves are primarily found in Eastern Russian areas such South Yakutia, Pechora, and Kuzbass.
• Every year, it exports more than 110 million tons of steam coal, primarily to Rotterdam and other European markets.
• Russian exports decreased slightly in 2022 as a result of Western sanctions, but domestic consumption rose.
• Despite some growth being hindered by the European embargo in 2022, Russia continues to be a significant producer of coal.
• Despite abundant proven reserves, sanctions and worries about a global recession hindered the growth of the Russian coal sector.

South Africa – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

According to recent figures, South Africa ranks seventh in the world for coal mining production, with an estimated 279 million tons produced.

• It mines predominantly high-energy bituminous and anthracite coal and has the fifth-largest deposits of coal in the world.
• Despite their depletion, important coalfields in the province of Mpumalanga have sustained the economy for more than a century.
• In comparison, domestic consumption has decreased as exports to Europe, East Asia, and India have increased.
• From 277 million tons in 2022, local production rose slightly by 2%, driven primarily by strong global demand.
• Regions that primarily rely on coal mining employment face hurdles as they transition to a greener economy.
• As a result, despite the rise of renewable energy sources, South Africa maintains its strong position among the top exporters of coal, despite its huge but finite deposits.

Germany – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

In 2022, Germany ranked eighth in the world with around 194 million tons of brown coal lignite mined.

• Its coal resources in the Rhineland and Central Germany contain the greatest reserves of brown coal in Europe.
• More than 25% of its electricity came from coal.
• But after declaring a 2030 coal phase-out, its output is expected to decline by more than 50% by the end of this decade.
• RWE and LEAG firms operate major mines.
• Approximately 20,000 mining jobs will be eliminated during its controlled coal withdrawal.
• Germany wants to secure a fair transition away from fossil fuels by bridging the gap with renewable energy and retraining miners for clean industries.

Poland – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

Poland ranked ninth in the world for coal production in 2022 with approximately 57 million tonnes mined.

• Most of the coal comes from hard coal mines in southern Poland’s Upper Silesian Coal Basin.
• Poland has a long coal mining history and has consistently ranked among the top coal-producing nations in the world.
• Poland’s energy industry historically relied heavily on coal, which continues to be a significant local power source.
• The two main forms of coal extracted in the nation are hard coal and lignite.
• Poland has significant undeveloped coal deposits, with estimated recoverable reserves of 33.9 billion tonnes.

Kazakhstan – Top 10 Coal Producing Countries In 2024

Kazakhstan ranked tenth in the world for coal production in 2022 with approximately 31 billion tons produced.

• Major mines are run by state-owned enterprises like ArcelorMittal and Bogatyr Komir.
• Kazakhstan has more than 31 billion tons of coal reserves, most of which are located in the massive Ekibastuz Coal Basin, an important stratigraphic brown coal deposit.
• Kazakhstan now ranks among the top 15 countries in the world with coal reserves.
• About 90% of the 114 million tons of lignite that are mined there each year are sub-bituminous lignite, which is mostly utilized to generate electricity.
• Despite growth being halted by pollution concerns, exports to China and Russia increased in 2022.
• Kazakhstan intends to convert to cleaner energy sources or retrofit existing plants with carbon capture technology in order to lessen the long-term effects on the environment and move away from coal.

Summary

The top 10 coal-producing countries in 2024 are dominated by China, which is the largest producer, followed by India and the United States. The list also includes Australia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Germany, Poland, and Kazakhstan. China remains a major player, producing more than half of the world’s coal, while India has seen a significant increase in production. The coal industry in the United States has undergone changes, experiencing a decline in both production and employment. Other countries, such as Australia and Indonesia, play crucial roles as major exporters of coal. The rankings reflect the global significance of coal production, impacting energy markets and economies around the world.

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Coal Producing Countries 2024 – FAQs

Which Country Is The Largest Producer Of Coal?

China is the largest producer of coal in the world.

What Are The Top 3 Countries Of Coal?

The top 3 coal-producing countries in 2024 are:

• China
• India
• Indonesia

What Is The Rank Of India In Coal Production?

India ranks second in coal production globally as of 2024.

Who Is The Largest Importer Of Coal?

Japan is the largest importer of coal globally.

Which State In India Is Richest In Coal?

Several Indian states are rich in coal reserves, including:

• Odisha
• Jharkhand
• Chhattisgarh

Which Region In India Is Rich In Coal?

Eastern India, particularly the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, is rich in coal deposits.

What Is The Name Of Coal Company In India?

Coal India Limited (CIL) is the largest coal producer in India, contributing significantly to the country’s total coal production.