Australia's Energy Commodity Resources 2025 Coal

• Coal is Australia’s most significant energy resource. As of December 2023, Australia’s recoverable Total Demonstrated Resources of black coal were estimated at 1,959,440 PJ (77,750 Mt). Recoverable Total Demonstrated Resource of brown coal were estimated at 3,247,899 PJ (331,424 Mt).
• Australia ranks fourth, globally, for black coal Economic Demonstrated Resources and second for brown coal Economic Demonstrated Resources. At the end of 2023, Australia’s recoverable Economic Demonstrated Resources were 1,871,757 PJ (72,875 Mt) for black coal and 730,660 PJ (74,039 Mt) for brown coal.
• Australia is the fifth largest producer, the second largest exporter and has the third largest reserves of coal in the world (Energy Institute, 2024).
• During 2022–23, export earnings from black coal totalled $103.2 billion, down 9.3% from $113.8 billion in 2021–22 (DISR, 2024).
• In 2023, coal exploration expenditure was $322.3 million, an increase of 34% on 2022 ($241.2 million). Coal exploration was approximately 6% of the 2023 total exploration spend in Australia (ABS, 2024).

Australia’s coal resources are expressed as Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR), Subeconomic Demonstrated Resources (SDR) and Inferred Resources. Refer to Appendix 3 for definitions of these terms and further information on the National Classification System for reporting of Identified Mineral Resources. At 31 December 2023, Australia had substantial EDR (Figure 5.1) and Inferred Resources (Figure 5.2) of black and brown coal (Table 5.1 and Table 5.2).

Black coal

Most of Australia’s black coal EDR are located in Queensland and New South Wales, followed by smaller volumes in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. There are two main types of black coal products: metallurgical coal and thermal coal. Metallurgical coal (also called met coal or coking coal) is mostly used for steel making and other industrial processes. Thermal coal (also called steaming coal) is used for electricity generation.

Total in-situ resources of black coal in Australia (EDR plus SDR plus Inferred Resources) are estimated at 192,232 Mt, comprising 85,774 Mt of EDR, 7,104 Mt of SDR and 99,354 Mt of Inferred Resources (Hughes et al., 2025). Australia’s total recoverable Identified Resources of black coal are estimated to be 155,480 Mt (3,819,529 PJ), comprising 72,487 Mt (1,855,256 PJ) of EDR, 5,264 Mt (104,185 PJ) of SDR and 77,730 Mt (1,860,089 PJ) of Inferred Resources (Table 5.1). Australia is thought to hold 9% of world economic resources of black coal, ranking fourth behind the United States (27%), China (19%) and India (17%; Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, 2024).

Brown coal

Total in situ resources (all categories) of brown coal, are estimated to be 488,664 Mt, of which in situ EDR are 81,234 Mt, SDR are 284,921 Mt and Inferred Resources are 122,509 Mt. Total recoverable Identified resources of brown coal are estimated at 436,651 Mt (4,283,623 PJ), of which recoverable EDR are 74,039 Mt (730,660 PJ), SDR are 257,384 Mt (2,517,239 PJ) and Inferred Resources are 105,228 Mt (1,035,724 PJ; Table 5.2). Nearly all of Australia’s recoverable brown coal EDR is in Victoria, with more than 90% in the Gippsland Basin (Latrobe Valley). Australia is estimated to hold 23% of the world’s economic resources of brown coal, ranking second in the world behind Russia (28%) (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, 2024).

Data tables and full report are downloadable from the Geoscience Australia website.