Tonnes of Coal Mined This Year
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Annual Coal Production
Per Second Rate
Energy Equivalent
Understanding Tonnes of Coal Mined This Year
This counter tracks global coal production in real-time, representing one of the world's largest mining operations by volume. Coal remains the world's second-largest primary energy source despite environmental concerns, with production reaching record levels.
Global coal production is expected to reach approximately 8.9 billion tonnes in 2025, a marginal decline of 0.1% from 2024. China alone consumes nearly 40% more coal than the rest of the world combined, with over one-third of all coal consumed globally burned by Chinese power plants.
Coal mining has massive environmental impacts including mountain removal, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The industry is also responsible for significant health impacts on miners and nearby communities through air pollution and coal dust exposure.
Global Coal Mining Overview
- China's dominance in coal is unprecedented - the country now consumes 58% of global coal production and produces over half of the world's total. China's coal demand grew by 1.2% in 2024, reaching a new all-time high despite renewable energy growth.
- Global coal demand grew by 1.2% in 2024 in energy terms, rising by around 67 million tonnes of coal equivalent. The electricity sector continues to drive coal demand, accounting for two-thirds of global consumption at 10,700 TWh.
- Despite declines in advanced economies where coal demand has halved from 2007 peaks, growth in Asia continues. Southeast Asia became the third-largest coal consuming region in 2023, overtaking the United States.
- Coal production has grown from roughly 4.7 billion tonnes in 2000 to current levels, with China, India, Indonesia, the United States, and Australia as the world's leading producers, collectively accounting for over 80% of global production.
Coal Mining Terminology
- Thermal Coal: Coal used primarily for electricity generation in power plants
- Coking Coal: Higher quality coal used in steel production
- Surface Mining: Open-pit or strip mining removing overburden to access coal seams
- Deep Mining: Underground extraction through shafts and tunnels
Top Coal Producing Countries (2025)
- China: 4.5 billion tonnes (50.6%)
- India: 1.0 billion tonnes (11.2%)
- Indonesia: 775 million tonnes (8.7%)
- United States: 530 million tonnes (6.0%)
- Australia: 450 million tonnes (5.1%)
- Russia: 220 million tonnes (2.5%)
- Other countries: 1.4 billion tonnes (15.9%)
Coal Use by Sector
- Electricity generation: 67% (10,700 TWh)
- Steel production: 13%
- Cement manufacturing: 7%
- Other industrial: 8%
- Residential/commercial: 5%
Environmental Impact
- CO2 emissions: 15.3 billion tonnes annually
- Methane releases: 40 million tonnes/year
- Water consumption: 3.5 billion cubic meters
- Land disturbed: 85,000 hectares annually
- Premature deaths from air pollution: 800,000/year
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Coal production data is compiled from national energy statistics, industry reports, and international energy agencies. Production figures include all commercial grades of coal including thermal and coking coal.
The real-time counter applies a production rate of 282 tonnes per second based on annual global coal production of approximately 8.9 billion tonnes, adjusted for regional mining patterns and seasonal demand variations.