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Thermal Coal

Thermal coal is coal used primarily for electricity generation and heat production in power stations, industrial facilities and residential heating applications. It is also known as steam coal, reflecting its historical use in raising steam to drive turbines. Thermal coal typically has lower energy content and higher moisture and ash levels than metallurgical coal, which is used in steelmaking. The commodity is mined through opencast and underground methods and is traded globally, with major exporters including Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Colombia and Russia. Power utilities are the dominant consumers, burning thermal coal in coal-fired power stations to generate baseload electricity. Thermal coal quality is measured by parameters including calorific value, ash content, moisture, sulphur and volatile matter, which determine its suitability for different combustion technologies. Prices are benchmarked against indices such as the Newcastle and Richards Bay reference prices. The sector faces mounting pressure from climate policy, renewable energy competition and investor divestment, leading to mine closures and reduced investment in new capacity in many jurisdictions. Demand remains robust in parts of Asia, particularly India and South-East Asia, where coal-fired generation continues to expand. Thermal coal's role in the global energy mix is declining in developed markets but remains significant in emerging economies balancing energy security and cost.

Thermal Coal News


Peabody reports improved thermal coal performance, higher seaborne pricing
Peabody reports improved thermal coal performance, higher seaborne pricing
5th November 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

US coal producer Peabody Energy has reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of $97.5-million in the third quarter of this year, compared to... 


MC Mining’s Makhado coal project ramps up
MC Mining’s Makhado coal project ramps up
30th October 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Australia- and Johannesburg-listed MC Mining’s Makhado steelmaking hard coking coal (HCC) project, in Limpopo, transitioned from construction into hot commissioning and operational ramp-up during... 


Whitehaven coal conveyor
Australia's Whitehaven Coal beats quarterly output estimates on Queensland strength
23rd October 2026 By: Reuters

Australia's Whitehaven Coal beat market estimates for quarterly output on Friday, supported by robust production from its Queensland operations, and said it expected stronger cash generation... 


Luda Technology chairperson and CEO Ma Biu_202610
Steel trader Luda Technology Group branches out to coal as first point of diversification
22nd October 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

NYSE-listed industrial steel components trader Luda Technology Group has announced its entry into the Mongolia-China coal trading business. Starting with thermal coal, Luda is expanding its... 


New Hope's Bengella coal mine
Australian coal miner New Hope gains on paying out highest dividend since 2022
15th September 2026 By: Reuters

Australian thermal coal miner New Hope Corp declared its largest final dividend in four years on Tuesday despite annual profit more than halving and missing expectations, lifting its shares to... 


Nickel mining in Indonesia
Indonesia will build trustworthy commodity exchange, chief supervisor candidate says
24th August 2026 By: Reuters

Indonesia's upcoming minerals and strategic commodity exchange would be built with infrastructure that can be trusted, the president's nominee to regulate commodity trading said on Monday. The... 


Glencore CEO Gary Nagle
Glencore’s planned Australian debut draws interest as investors look past coal
18th August 2026 By: Reuters

Glencore could leap into top market indices within six months of listing in Australia as fund managers' copper appetite may outweigh concerns over thermal coal exposure, analysts and investors said... 


Equipment in operation at a mine owned by Thungela
Thungela expects to report up to 475% increase in EPS, 158% rise in HEPS
7th August 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Thermal coal producer Thungela Resources says it expects its earnings per share (EPS) for the six months to June 30 to be between 457% and 475% higher year-on-year at between R10.75 and 11.10. That... 


Location map of the Makhado
Makhado steelmaking hard coking coal project, South Africa – update
7th August 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

MC Mining has reported that several operational-readiness milestones were achieved during the quarter ended June 30, 2026, while the project recorded no lost-time injuries. 


Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto
Subianto's radical commodity export plan for Indonesia faces dueling visions
6th August 2026 By: Bloomberg

More than two months after President Prabowo Subianto unveiled plans to take control of Indonesia’s top commodity exports, the agency charged with carrying out the proposal is caught between... 


Maules Creek coal mine
Whitehaven Coal logs 2026 output at top end of guidance, sees costs at low end
28th July 2026 By: Reuters

Australia's Whitehaven Coal said on Tuesday its yearly output and sales landed near the top of guidance range as its Queensland mines recovered, while full-year costs were set to come in near the... 


Thungela maintains interim export guidance despite volatile coal markets
Thungela maintains interim export guidance despite volatile coal markets
30th June 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

JSE-listed Thungela Resources says it continues to monitor the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on its employees and the broader operating environment, noting that, to date, the... 


Coal import data from December 2025 to June 2026
Asia's thermal coal imports jump on China, Japan, S.Korea buying
26th June 2026 By: Reuters

Asia's imports of seaborne thermal coal are rebounding as China boosts purchases to compensate for soft domestic output and Japan and South Korea seek energy security amid the fallout from the... 


Menar coal mine
India nears 50% domestic coal use in import-based power plants, sources say
24th June 2026 By: Reuters

India is increasing the use of domestic fuel to more than 50% at power plants designed to run on imported coal, as the world's second-largest thermal coal importer seeks to curb costly overseas... 


Steelworker at smelter
Chinese coal disaster to ripple through steel, power, chemicals
28th May 2026 By: Bloomberg

The Shanxi coal disaster is likely to hit Chinese output in the short term, raising costs for steelmakers, power plants and chemicals manufacturers. The explosion at a coking coal mine that killed... 


Coal piles in Indonesia
Indonesia to bring commodity exports under centralised control, President says
20th May 2026 By: Reuters

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday that his government will centralise exports of key commodities as part of efforts to boost state revenues and tighten the country's grip over... 


An image showing an overview of the Makhado project
New directors appointed as KDG subsidiary becomes MC Mining’s controlling shareholder
5th May 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Global coal operator Kinetic Development Group’s (KDG’s) wholly-owned special purpose vehicle Kinetic Crest has become the controlling shareholder of JSE-, ASX- and Aim-listed MC Mining, in which... 


Indonesia coal heaps
Iran war gives small boost to thermal coal, further gains possible - columnist
5th May 2026 By: Reuters

Seaborne thermal coal prices in Asia rallied in the wake of the US and Israeli war against Iran, but the gains are modest and nowhere near the size seen during the crisis created by Russia's... 


Glencore's Tweefontein coal mine in South Africa
Glencore's weak first-quarter coal output offset by higher copper production
30th April 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Diversified miner Glencore has reported a 22% year-on-year decrease in steelmaking coal production to 6.5-million tonnes for the first quarter, primarily owing to pit sequencing at Elk Valley... 


Whitehaven Coal conveyor
Australia's Whitehaven Coal posts quarterly output rise, sees higher coal prices
28th April 2026 By: Reuters

Whitehaven Coal met market expectations for third-quarter production as reported on April 28, helped by its New South Wales open-cut mines, and forecast higher long-term prices for both... 


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pqt: 0.083s - ct: 0.132s - 275pq - 2rq
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