Australia's Energy Commodity Resources 2026 Coal

• Coal is one of Australia’s most significant energy resources, supporting 46% of Australia’s electricity generation (DCCEEW, 2025) and about half of our energy export earnings (DISR, 2025) during 2023–24.
• As of December 2024, Australia’s recoverable total demonstrated resources (TDR) of black coal were estimated at 1,981,889 PJ (78,248 Mt). Recoverable TDR of brown coal were estimated at 3,247,899 PJ (331,424 Mt).
• Australia ranks second globally for economic demonstrated resources (EDR) of brown coal and fourth for black coal. At the end of 2024, Australia’s recoverable EDR were 730,660 PJ (74,039 Mt) for brown coal and 1,877,705 PJ (72,985 Mt) for black coal.
• Australia is the fourth largest producer, the second largest exporter and has the third largest reserves of coal in the world (Energy Institute, 2025).
• During 2023–24, export earnings from black coal totalled $91.4 billion, down 38.0% from $127.4 billion in 2022–23 (DISR, 2025). All produced brown coal was for domestic use.
• In 2023 and 2024, coal exploration expenditure remained stable at $322 million. In 2025, investment in coal exploration fell by 25%, in comparison to 2024, to $242 million. Coal exploration was approximately 8% of the 2024 total exploration spend in Australia and 6% of the total exploration spend in 2025 (ABS, 2025).

Australia’s coal resources are expressed as Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR), Subeconomic Demonstrated Resources (SDR) and Inferred Resources. Refer to Appendix 4 for definitions of these terms and further information on the National Classification System for reporting of Identified Mineral Resources. At 31 December 2024, 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 (Economic Demonstrated Resources plus Subeconomic Demonstrated Resources plus Inferred Resources) are estimated at 192,299 Mt, comprising 86,640 Mt of EDR, 7,104 Mt of SDR and 98,554 Mt of Inferred Resources (Hughes et al., 2026). Australia’s total recoverable Identified Resources of black coal are estimated to be 155,324 Mt (3,821,356 PJ), comprising 72,985 Mt (1,877,705 PJ) of EDR, 5,264 Mt (104,185 PJ) of SDR and 77,076 Mt (1,839,467 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.