Coal fell to 108.35 USD/T on December 1, 2025, down 1.86% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coal's price has fallen 1.14%, and is down 20.33% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Coal - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

On September 26, 2025, the U.S. Central Appalachian coal price stood at 79 U.S. dollars per short ton. Prices have been especially stable throughout the first half of 2025, with figures staying below 80 U.S. dollars. Central Appalachian coal is produced in parts of Eastern Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. In 2024, the annual Central Appalachian coal spot price stood at 77.67 U.S. dollars per metric ton.

Coal prices per ton in the United States can vary depending on factors such as the type of coal, region, market demand, transportation costs, and environmental regulations. This article provides an overview of the various factors that influence coal prices and explains why thermal coal prices can range from approximately $40 to $140 per ton.

The U.S. Central Appalachian coal price is a key indicator for coal prices across the country. The region includes parts of Eastern Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, which are some of the largest coal-producing states in the country. In 2024, the average Central Appalachian coal spot price stood at 77.67 U.S. dollars per metric ton. This was less than half the average price in 2022. Coal commodity prices surged in 2022 as sanctions on Russian imports, production loss in Australia, and a temporary export ban in Indonesia put pressure on supply volumes. Other important global coal benchmarks include the Northwest Europe marker price, Australia's Newcastle, and China's Qinhuangdao price.

The US Coal Index Price is a measure of the price of coal in the United States. It is designed to track the performance of coal prices and provide investors with an indicator of the overall health of the coal market. Factors affecting the index price include supply and demand, regulations, competition from other energy sources, and economic factors. The index price is significant for investors and market participants, as it helps assess the health of the coal market and make informed investment decisions. U

Coal prices for electric power generation in the United States were 2.48 U.S. dollars per million British thermal unit in 2024. This is a decrease when compared to the previous year. Average coal prices are forecast to drop in the following years.

View monthly updates and historical trends for Australia Coal Price. Source: World Bank. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Monthly and long-term coking coal price data (US$/mt): historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

View yearly updates and historical trends for US Central Appalachian Coal Spot Price Index. Source: Energy Institute. Track economic data with YCharts ana…

Learn about the various factors that influence coal prices in the United States, including supply and demand dynamics, global market conditions, government regulations, environmental concerns, and short-term weather patterns. Understand how these factors interact to shape pricing trends for coal in the country.

Monthly and long-term thermal coal price data (US$/mt): historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

Coking Coal rose to 201.25 USD/T on November 10, 2025, up 0.12% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coking Coal's price has risen 3.60%, but it is still 4.39% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Coking Coal.

Graph and download economic data for Wholesale Price of Bituminous Coal, Mines for United States (M0490AUSM294NNBR) from Jan 1906 to Dec 1930 about coal, wholesale, mining, price, and USA.

Coal prices in the US can vary significantly depending on factors such as supply and demand dynamics, production costs, transportation costs, and environmental regulations. The pricing of coal is typically done using various indices, with the most commonly used index being the NYMEX Coal Futures contract. This article explores the factors that influence coal prices in the US market and emphasizes the importance of understanding these factors for businesses and investors in the coal industry.

Graph and download economic data for Export Price Index (End Use): Metallurgical Grade Coal (IQ11010) from Jan 2025 to Aug 2025 about grades, coal, end use, exports, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

U.S. Bituminous Coal Prices - Historical chart and current data through 1944.

Coal miners have endured a rollercoaster of challenges and opportunities, marked by fluctuating coal prices and a shifting demand landscape. Coal miners faced severe disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, only to recover with a notable recovery as economies reopened. Coal miners have faced a domestic versus international demand dichotomy as infrastructure investments have boosted domestic steel production. Yet, cleaner production methods have hindered the growth of coal from domestic sources. Consequently, domestic coal miners have increasingly sought international markets, with countries like India and China being key export destinations, capitalizing on these regions' heavy reliance on coal for power generation and steel production. Still, recent tariffs on US energy by China may hinder this source of growth, with coal miners increasingly leaning on India as an export market. Industry revenue has been increasing at a CAGR of 8.2% over the past five years to total an estimated $30.4 billion in 2025, including an estimated decrease of 0.1% in 2025. It should be noted that this strong growth was because of a low base year in 2020 when coal prices and production plummeted. Coal miners have navigated through a period of intense volatility. While production dipped as the world staggered under the weight of the pandemic, a surge in demand and prices in 2021 and 2022, spurred by the reopening of the economy and an energy crisis because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, catalyzed a spike in revenues for coal miners. However, normalizing prices and the domestic market have progressively contracted because of a continued shift towards renewable energy sources. This has resulted in consolidation within the industry, shrinking the number of operating coal mines and concentrating market power in the hands of larger companies. Looking ahead, coal miners anticipate navigating both challenges and opportunities over the next five years. Coal miners will continue to look to export markets for growth despite potential headwinds from global environmental policies and increasing renewable energy adoption. Domestically, the push towards clean energy technologies and the expanding role of electric arc furnaces in steel production will place additional pressure on coal demand. Still, potential upticks in steaming coal consumption, driven by rising natural gas prices and heightened energy needs from burgeoning manufacturing and tech sectors, may provide a reprieve. The merger between Consol Energy and Arch Resources might further reshape industry dynamics, potentially enhancing pricing power and operational efficiencies and prompting competitors to innovate to remain viable. Also, the recent executive order by President Trump may revitalize coal mining. Industry revenue is forecast to climb at a CAGR of 0.4% to total an estimated $31.0 billion through the end of 2030.

United States' electricity producers paid about 2.75 U.S. dollars per million British thermal unit for natural gas in 2024. Meanwhile, coal power plant operators paid an average of 2.48 U.S. dollars. In the last decade, the price of natural gas used for electricity generation has seen a net decrease, followed by a considerable rise in 2022. Coal, on the other hand, has consistently been among the cheapest fuel types used in the power sector. Natural gas prices and the influence of oil demand As it is often produced alongside oil, prices for natural gas are shaped by overall market developments of the oil and gas industry. When an overproduction of oil led to the oil glut between 2015 and 2016, natural gas prices fell notably. The same circumstance could be observed in 2020 when a fall in oil demand brought many benchmarks such as WTI and Brent to historic lows and also resulted in the Henry Hub price falling to a 21-year low. Apart from petroleum, which is an expensive and inefficient means of power production, fossil fuel costs for electricity generation have declined since 2022. Shift away from conventional energy sources Although renewable technologies were once thought to be very expensive, greater investments have quickly rendered their levelized cost of energy generation on par with fossil fuels, especially when deployed on a utility-scale. The aging coal fleet is a prime example of the increasing necessity to switch to carbon neutral technologies. Older coal plants are dealing with increasing maintenance costs as well as environmental regulations forcing the installation of pollution controls.

In 2023, the average annual sales price of underground mined coal was ***** U.S. dollars per short ton. At that same time, sales price of surface mined coal was ***** U.S. dollars per short ton. Surface mined coal prices increased compared to the previous year.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Coal Mining (PCU21212121) from Dec 1985 to Sep 2025 about coal, mining, PPI, industry, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.