Coal news and updates

Global Coal Production Up 4%

Global coal production increased about 4% in 2021, to about 8 billion metric tons, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and estimates by Arch Resources.

For background: Coal is mined globally using various surface and underground recovery methods.

Above all, coal is used for the production of steel and the generation of electrical energy, but it is also used for certain industrial processes, such as the production of cement.

Coal is a commodity that is traded globally and can be transported to centers of demand by oceangoing ships, barges, rail, trucks, or conveyor belts.

In 2021, global coal production recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic-related supply and demand disruptions experienced in 2020.

Arch Resources states that an expansionary economic environment supported coal fundamentals in 2021.

Despite year-over-year growth, 2021 global coal production is likely to fall short of 2019 levels.