Coal market prices rallied in September, supported by firmer natural gas prices and strong export demand.

As black lung surges in Appalachia, Trump administration halts rollout of new coal mine dust rules

Global coal demand is gaining momentum as disruptions to oil and natural gas supplies reinforce the fuel’s role in maintaining reliable electricity generation.

The City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania is looking to turn a former Ollie's Bargain Outlet store into a mine tour.

A research initiative at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) that explores novel uses for Wyoming coal has hit a tangible milestone: harvesting large carrots using coal char as a soil amendment.

Soaring prices of spot LNG supply amid the lack of Middle Eastern deliveries have pushed South Korea to rely more on coal-fired power generation in the coming winter, despite its pledge to shift away from fossil fuels.

U.S. coal production totaled 10.009 million short tons for the week ended October 10, 2026, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Former coal mine properties in Appalachia are attracting interest as potential locations for battery energy storage projects.

This fact sheet highlights HGEO's Office of Coal priorities and investments to modernize coal infrastructure, advance coal technologies, and strengthen reliable power generation.

Alabama’s importance to the coal industry extends beyond its production volume. The state supplies high-quality metallurgical coal to international steelmakers, competing in a premium market that includes Australian producers.

Washington State coal output doubled from 1.2 million tons in 1890 to 2.4 million in 1900, then climbed another 62% to 3.9 million tons by 1910.

Banks channelled $467bn in loans and underwriting to the coal industry between 2022 and 2025, data has revealed.

Americans have grown accustomed to treating fossil fuels and environmentalism as mutually exclusive: you either care about resilient ecosystems, or you support industries such as coal mining.

DOE today announced plans to lower electricity costs and strengthen grid reliability by supporting the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in funding 84 transmission and distribution projects across eight states.

A coal truck driver in West Virginia suffered minor injuries in a crash that closed Fairmont Road near Little Indian Creek Road, according to a traffic alert.

Warrior Met Coal began longwall operations at its Blue Creek mine ahead of schedule and on budget in early 2026.

Amid growing power demand, Coal India Limited (CIL) augmented its coal supplies by 12.5% to 61.20 million t in September FY26/27.

Warrior Sets Date for Third Quarter 2026 Earnings Announcement and Investor Conference Call

The U.S. and China reached a deal for China to import at least 10 million metric tons a year of U.S. coal in both 2027 and 2028 (about 2% of China’s coal imports), which it can easily do as it imported more than 12 million tons in 2024.

Coal-rich China can expand its coal chemical industry to produce substitute oil products.

To power two new data centers, companies are planning a giant gas plant and 456 small nuclear reactors in Carbon County. Locals are pushing back.

West Virginia Senator Jim Justice must pay more than $25 million to a unit of Sompo International over unpaid premiums and collateral on surety bonds for his family’s coal companies, a federal appeals court has ruled.

U.S. producers supplied Turkey with 2.07 million metric tons of coking coal during January–August 2026, a 75.7% increase from a year earlier, according to preliminary Turkish Statistical Institute figures.

The International Energy Agency now forecasts global coal demand will rise 1.2% this year to a record 8.94 billion metric tons, reversing its earlier expectation of a decline.

CORE Natural Resources is improving performance across key coal operations while pursuing new markets for coal-derived materials, including rare earth recovery and aerospace manufacturing.

In its Q3 2026 investor letter, Black Bear Value Partners highlighted Warrior Met Coal, Inc.

Peabody Energy’s recovery prospects depend heavily on improving production at its Centurion mine, reducing operating costs and strengthening recurring cash flow.

Coal industry professionals can turn coal combustion residuals into a potential economic opportunity. This article examines regulations, emerging markets, and the considerations involved in developing commercially viable beneficial-use strategies.

Alliance Resource Partners is preparing to release its third quarter 2026 results after a period in which value metrics such as Forward P/E and P/CF have screened below sector averages.

China, the world's largest buyer of coal, cut its September imports by ?6% from a year earlier, customs data showed today.

A Kanawha County coal miner’s death last week comes as West Virginia’s mining industry has recorded 447 injuries, including two fatalities, through Oct. 5.

The U.S. coal industry is gaining stronger backing in Washington as the Trump administration expands support for coal-fired generation, mining and exports.

A federal appeals court has upheld a judgment requiring U.S. Sen. Jim Justice to pay Lexon Insurance Company more than $25 million, plus interest, under a personal guarantee covering his family’s coal businesses.

The truth is that families do not much care whether the power running their refrigerator comes from a coal plant, a natural gas facility, or a wind farm. They care that it is there when they need it and that they can afford to pay for it.

A Morehead State University student is shining a light on the lives and experiences of Appalachian coal miners and their families through her recently published book.

The NSW Government Independent Planning Commission has approved two State significant development applications (SSD-11826681 & SSD-11826621) for the HVO North and South open cut coal mine continuation projects.

Rising U.S. electricity prices – up 40% on average since 2020 – are now a top-tier concern for American consumers, but not in Utah.

DOE Secretary of Energy issued an emergency order to mitigate blackout risks ahead of a period of elevated demand, a high rate of planned generator outages during the autumn maintenance season, and numerous planned transmission outages.

The slow buildout of U.S. transmission and surging demand from new data centers continues to hike congestion levels across the country.

Coal dust has long been a nuisance – and a possible threat to human health – for residents of the Southeast Community, a largely African-American neighborhood also known as the East End, columnist Roger Chesley writes.

Slovenia’s Velenje coal mine is one of the sites within international project GeoSolar for exploring the possibility of converting coal mines into underground thermal energy storage facilities.

Russian coal exports to Turkey declined sharply in January-August 2026 as Black Sea shipping disruption, limited rail capacity and weak export profitability continued to pressure supplies.

India's rapidly growing demand for electricity could force it to add substantially more coal-fired power capacity than planned, the head of the power sector planner said on Tuesday.

Coal has remained a fixture of the global energy system because of its affordability, availability, and reliability.

A federal appeals court has limited the Energy Department’s authority to keep coal plants operating beyond planned retirement dates, ruling that long-term supply concerns alone do not constitute an emergency.

Op-Ed featured in Virginian Pilot.

The more than decade-long fight against a coal line has just progressed after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that would require the state to prepare a new environmental impact report before a potential coal terminal could be built in Oakland.

Once home to underground coal mines, Ohio’s Silver Creek Metro Park now offers more than 1,000 acres of forests, trails and outdoor recreation.

A new breakthrough in high-temperature heat pumps could provide a critical pathway toward relieving global reliance on fossil fuels in industrial contexts.

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. will report its third quarter 2026 financial results before the market opens on Monday, October 26, 2026.

The EPA is proposing to shift authority to regulate coal ash landfills in Wisconsin from the federal government to state environmental regulators.

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Ind., has introduced legislation that would restrict the Department of Energy’s authority to keep power plants operating beyond their scheduled retirement dates.

China’s thermal coal prices climbed to a three-year high as sluggish domestic production growth and disruptions in top exporter Indonesia coincide with an energy rally driven by the US-Iran war.

Emerging Asia is losing its appetite for liquefied natural gas to generate power as geopolitical shocks, equipment shortages and cheaper renewables derail projects, disappointing industry hopes the ?region would drive the next wave of demand.

India’s electricity system is struggling to make full use of expanding renewable generation while meeting rising demand and maintaining coal supplies, according to a report released October 12 by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

After nearly a decade of environmental reviews, litigation, public scrutiny, and air-quality monitoring, California has decided to subject Oakland’s coal export terminal to yet another round of review.

West Virginia coal miners took center stage Saturday as West Virginia University celebrated the industry’s contributions to the state during its annual Coal Rush game.

India’s proposed expansion of its steel industry could substantially increase demand for steelmaking coal over the next two decades, according to a draft policy released for public consultation on October 10.

A unit of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), plans to bid for a 900-megawatt power supply contract with Manila Electric Co. in a renewed push to develop its long-delayed coal-fired power plant in Quezon province.

Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are working to turn coal waste into a source of critical minerals, using microorganisms and artificial intelligence as part of a $6 million National Science Foundation project.

The Trump administration says the plants are vital for grid reliability. Utilities, states and ratepayers are challenging the orders and candidates are turning the costs into a campaign issue.

Pennsylvania remains a major player in the coal industry, ranking as the nation’s third-largest producer and supplying millions of tons locally and globally, even as its workforce and active sites contract.

The Tug Valley Mining Institute will hold a dinner meeting Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Logan Country Club in Chapmanville, West Virginia.

At the top of Grassy Mountain, some 6,700 feet above sea level, seams of coal are baked into the mountainside, visible through mining in this stretch of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Alberta from the early to mid-1900s.

Over half of India’s monitored thermal power plants are operating with under five days of coal stock.

Dark Hollow, a fictional Appalachian creature feature, will screen in Charleston and Huntington in October, with a Beckley screening also announced.

A coal miner died Thursday evening, October 8, at the American Eagle Mine in Kanawha County, West Virginia, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Friday.

OSM has awarded the 2026 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards to Seneca Property LLC, of Colorado, and Jewett Mine LLC, of Texas, in recognition of exemplary results in returning a site to productive use after completion of coal mining.

When the West Virginia Mountaineers take the field Saturday against Arizona, they’ll be wearing some of the coolest uniforms in college football.

For decades, coal ash has been viewed as one of industry's most troublesome waste products. Now, a U.S. startup believes those massive stockpiles could become a valuable resource for agriculture, construction, and high-tech manufacturing.

Glencore expects strong demand from investors seeking exposure to trend toward electrification when it lists in Australia next week, CEO Gary Nagle said on Friday.

Mine water heat network goes live at Seaham Garden Village, delivering clean, secure and affordable heating to 750 homes from disused coal mines.

We published our Weekly Coal Production report for the week ending October 3, 2026.

For generations, coal-fired power plants in West Virginia have been more than just industrial facilities in Appalachia. These plants have been a source of electricity, jobs, and in many communities, a symbol of economic survival.

Global exports of thermal coal are currently on track to register a second consecutive annual contraction.

Australia’s Tahmoor steelmaking coal mine is preparing to resume longwall production in December following the completion of its acquisition by Golden Energy and Resources (GEAR) and M Resources on October 7, 2026.

Some recent media reports flag growing risk of Power shortages in India as coal inventories at power plants fall to low levels.

Workers at the Hunter Valley’s Mount Pleasant coal mine have been reassured that operations are continuing as usual in the wake of yesterday’s High Court decision, with mine approvals in place until the end of 2032, the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) said

The American people are paying a huge price for politically driven decisions to abandon the fuel that built the nation.

U.S. Assistant Sec. for Energy Audrey Robinson visited the University of Kentucky Thursday as part of a Trump administration push to graduate more students in areas related to mining and critical minerals.

Todd Johnston is no longer with the Morrisey administration. He had served under the governor in two roles: deputy chief of staff and director of the state’s energy, infrastructure and competitiveness.

Hallador Energy has signed six-year agreements to supply electricity and reserve generating capacity from its Merom coal-fired power plant in Indiana.

A Kanawha County, WV surface mine operator has announced the shutdown of a mining operation.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $159 million for 12 new Genesis Mission research projects Thursday, including efforts to improve domestic rare earth extraction, advance fusion technology and develop geothermal resources.

DOE awards $7.5 million to University of Utah-led regional coalition to identify unconventional sources of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

Rapid growth in artificial intelligence and other digital services is pushing utilities to consider a different way to manage electricity demand: asking data centers to adjust their power use when the grid is under the greatest strain.

What has consistently gone up without coming back down? The cost to power our homes and businesses.

India’s power sector is facing a growing squeeze as near-record electricity demand pushes spot power prices sharply higher, even as coal stocks at thermal power plants fall to critically low levels.

Global seaborne coal flows fell 6.7% year on year in September 2026 to 115 Mt. Thermal coal drove the decline, and a rise in met coal flows was not enough to offset it.

Coal is often described as a fading fuel. But the International Energy Agency reports that global coal demand reached a record 8.84 billion tonnes in 2025 and is projected to rise to 8.94 billion tonnes in 2026, contrary to prior projections.

Less than two years ago, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative received millions of dollars from the federal government to fund renewable energy and phase out the use of coal.

The Trump administration’s recent emission regulation rollbacks could be the push Utah leaders need to maintain coal power generation — or it could accelerate the state’s move away from it entirely.

The American Coal Ash Association has joined three other industry organizations to develop consolidated environmental reporting rules for cementitious materials, including coal ash used in cement and concrete.

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator is seeking federal approval to accelerate an interconnection study covering approximately 71 gigawatts of proposed generation, drawing broad support from utilities, renewable energy developers and state regulat

The scheduled closure of the Eagle Horizon Mine in northeastern Boone County, West Virginia, will eliminate 71 jobs, raising concerns about the impact on the community of Ashford.

Former coal mines in eastern Germany are finding new uses through a reclamation program that has created 23 lakes across the Lusatian region.

Australia’s coal industry is assessing the implications of a High Court decision requiring mining approvals to account for the climate effects of coal consumption, including coal exported overseas.

The Winter Fuels Outlook provides EIA's expectations for U.S. residential energy consumption, prices, and expenditures for the upcoming winter as well as analysis of market conditions for the four most common U.S. residential space heating fuels.

Type One Energy has secured $200 million in financing to advance a proposed fusion power project at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s former Bull Run coal plant site in eastern Tennessee.

Zelestra has raised $350 million for its 203 MW solar array on former coal mining land, bringing its total U.S. financing past $1 billion this year.

India is preparing to double its coking coal output by 2030, especially to meet its steel manufacturing needs.

PT Paiton Energy is working to prepare three coal-fired generating units in Indonesia to use a wider range of coal while maintaining reliable operations and meeting emissions standards.

Australia’s High Court on October 7 dismissed MACH Energy’s appeal over approval to expand its Mount Pleasant open-cut coal mine in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.

Amidst this year’s hot summer, the U.S. electric power sector drew down coal stocks to meet high electricity demand, with stocks at an estimated 100 million short tons (MMst) at the end of September compared with 105 MMst in September 2025.

A loaded coal train has derailed in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

Cleanup work is set to begin on a coal train derailment that occurred Monday night.

India's biggest power producer, NTPC, plans to buy more coal from private mining companies to overcome fuel shortages and meet rising electricity demand, two people familiar with the matter said.

A reclaimed coal mine in western Maryland is slated to host a battery storage project selected in the state’s first round of energy storage awards.

Coal ash’s potential as a domestic source of critical minerals is central to a proposed transaction involving Pennsylvania-based Winner Water Services.

A Wyoming coal mine bought for $2 million in 2011 holds what Ramaco calls the largest unconventional rare earth deposit in the US, and a new engineering report has pushed first production back to 2031

Colorado air regulators say West Elk coal mine near Somerset has put out nearly four times the volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that its air permit allows.

Two environmental groups are appealing a federal agency’s decision to extend the life of a Navajo Nation-owned coal mine to 2136.

The risk of power shortages is expected to increase from 2027, while El Nino could put additional pressure on hydropower generation.

After privatizing two hydroelectric facilities in Luzon, the Marcos administration is now moving to assess the value of Mindanao’s first coal-fired power plant ahead of its sale.

Arizona Public Service has taken steps that could keep its last operating coal power plant running for the next 12 years.

This fact sheet highlights HGEO's Office of Coal priorities and investments to modernize coal infrastructure, advance coal technologies, and strengthen reliable power generation.

U.S. domestic coal deliveries totaled approximately 92.2 million short tons during the second quarter of 2026, with electricity generation continuing to account for the vast majority of shipments.

Global coal prices showed mixed trends over the past week as European and Chinese markets strengthened, while Australian thermal and metallurgical coal moved in opposite directions.

Growing political and community opposition is having a limited effect on the rapid expansion of U.S. data centers, according to Goldman Sachs, which said its growth outlook through 2027 remains largely unchanged.

Indonesia’s coal industry is set for a significant shift in ownership after one of the largest coal miners, Bayan Resources, agreed to sell a 30 percent stake to Jhonlin Baratama, a coal mining contractor and producer from South Kalimantan.

The U.S. Department of Energy is asking utilities, power producers and equipment manufacturers for help shaping measures to protect America’s electricity system from security risks involving foreign-made equipment.

A 1970s pavement project at Newark International Airport in New Jersey used coal fly ash, lime, Portland cement and sand to create a stabilized base beneath runways and aircraft areas.

The Thar coal mine will increase annual production by 3.6 million tonnes to 11.2 million tonnes after the completion of Phase III of the Thar Coal Block II project, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Monday.

Sandvik and Subterra Asset Solutions have marked a defining milestone in its partnership to boost underground mining performance and engineering excellence with the delivery of Subterra’s first LS312 flameproof loaders in Australia.

The September 2026 Resources and energy quarterly examines changes in the commodity outlook as the conflict in the Middle East impacts global supply chains.

Global campaign group 350.org urges Cop31 hosts to announce a coal phase-out date and national roadmaps to get off fossil fuels.

The developer must now contend with environmental review red tape, as concerns grow over coal dust and health risks.

Coal inventories at India’s domestic coal-fired power plants declined 66% between April and September, placing renewed attention on mine output, transportation capacity and preparations for next summer’s electricity demand.

India’s Steel Ministry has directed state-owned companies Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and NMDC to explore overseas mineral assets, strengthening efforts to secure the raw materials needed for the country’s expanding steel industry.

Under the medium-term strategy spanning 2028-30, the government plans to add 12,940MW of generation capacity to the national grid to accommodate projected peak demand of 20,000–25,000MW.

PT PLN Energi Primer Indonesia (PLN EPI) is preparing to develop ammonia cofiring as a potential low-carbon fuel option for coal-fired power plants, with a small-scale trial targeted at the Labuan Power Plant in 2027.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright highlighted federal upgrades at Duke’s Roxboro coal plant as rising power demand puts electricity costs and pollution in focus.

Federal regulators have rejected TransAlta’s proposal for allocating the costs of keeping Washington’s Centralia coal-fired generating unit available under federal emergency directives, while allowing the company to submit a revised plan.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decision October 2 concerning Northwest Rural Public Power District’s planned withdrawal from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.

The expansion of production capacity is forcing local steelmakers to increase their imports of raw materials and diversify their supply sources.

DOE has extended the operating availability of Craig Station Unit 1 in northwestern Colorado for another 90 days.

Chris Hamilton, President and CEO of the West Virginia Coal Association, issued a statement on the agreement to advance the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026.

U.S. natural gas production hit an all-time high in July 2026, driven primarily by increased output in the Permian Basin, according to our latest Natural Gas Monthly.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he did not "jump the gun" on announcing a South Korean investment in Alaska LNG, a liquefied natural gas project that has been planned for decades but still lacks binding commitments.

President Donald Trump said Friday that an investment agreement with South Korea includes an $8.4 billion enhanced oil-recovery project, but a South Korean government official disputed that characterization.

An electric utility serving Western Kentucky counties is telling the state regulator it anticipates keeping its existing coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants open beyond 2050.

Federal energy policy changes adopted since President Donald Trump returned to office could add an average of $6,500 to household energy expenses through 2040.

For the coal industry, the development has potential implications for operating and delivery costs. Diesel powers mining equipment, trucks and locomotives, making fuel prices an important consideration throughout the coal supply chain.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that the U.S. investment agreement with South Korea includes an $8.4 billion enhanced oil-recovery project, adding another energy initiative to the countries’ broader economic partnership.

Coal India Limited on Thursday said the supply of dry fuel to the power sector users has increased by 11.01 percent to 148.20 million tonnes (MT) in the second quarter of the current financial year from 133.50 MT in the year-ago period.

White Energy has reached a deal to acquire the South Galilee coal project from the AMCI Group for $500,000 plus milestone and royalty payments of up to $19.5 million.

We published our Weekly Coal Production report for the week ending September 26, 2026.

Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC (NTEC) welcomed the decision by Arizona Public Service to extend the operation of the Four Corners Power Plant (FCPP) beyond 2031.

The Trump Administration is being sued for dismantling federal greenhouse gas pollution limits for many of the nation’s largest power plants, gutting one of the country’s most significant climate protections.

All conveyor systems have inherent dangers while in motion. This month, we're looking at some key safety practices from MSHA to help you stay safe when working on, or around, belt conveyors.

NMA, NIOSH, OSMRE, and BLM will honor outstanding achievements in mine safety, technology, reclamation and stewardship.

MCPA's 50th Annual Fall Meeting and Awards Banquet is scheduled Thursday, October 29, 2026, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Russell County Conference Center, 139 Highland Drive, Lebanon, VA 24266.

U.S. coal exports increased in the second quarter of 2026, led by stronger steam coal shipments, according to the Energy Information Administration’s newly released Quarterly Coal Report.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday night that will make it harder for President Donald Trump to build a coal terminal in San Francisco’s backyard, as part of the president’s $700 million plan to expand global coal trade.

Glencore PLC, Peabody Energy Corp. and Heeney Capital are weighing deals to produce coal in Venezuela as the Trump administration’s push for United States-allied companies to develop the nation’s resources extends beyond oil.

India’s electricity shortages reached their highest level in more than three years in September, even as coal-fired generation increased to meet rising demand.

Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has airlifted coking coal from Mongolia for the first time, testing the landlocked nation as a potential new supplier as India seeks to reduce its dependence on Australia.