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USA Metallurgical Coal Prices | Exports 2010–2024

Quarterly Met Coal Prices


US Metallurgical Coal Export Prices (US$/short ton)
QuarterPrice
Q1 2025136.9
Q4 2024145.1
Q3 2024163.7
Q2 2024178.1
Q1 2024206.2
Q4 2023202.5
Q3 2023177.7
Q2 2023211.4
Q1 2023234.9
Q4 2022236.7
Q3 2022259.8
Q2 2022334.1
Q1 2022287.0
Q4 2021238.2
Q3 2021154.3
Q2 2021121.8
Q1 2021113.9
Q4 202098.8
Q3 202097.7
Q2 2020108.7
Q1 2020114.2
Q4 2019115.6
Q3 2019130.8
Q2 2019142.8
Show earlier quarters, 2010–2019
US Metallurgical Coal Export Prices, 2010–2019 (US$/short ton)
QuarterPrice
Q1 2019144.7
Q4 2018142.3
Q3 2018133.8
Q2 2018135.6
Q1 2018144.5
Q4 2017119.4
Q3 2017124.4
Q2 2017145.8
Q1 2017153
Q4 2016118.1
Q3 201676.3
Q2 201669.3
Q1 201668.4
Q4 201580.5
Q3 201585.7
Q2 201593
Q1 201594.8
Q4 201495.5
Q3 201495
Q2 201496.7
Q1 2014105.6
Q4 2013110.7
Q3 2013111.9
Q2 2013119.2
Q1 2013119.4
Q4 2012131.1
Q3 2012148
Q2 2012157.2
Q1 2012169
Q4 2011181.4
Q3 2011201.6
Q2 2011191.2
Q1 2011170.4
Q4 2010160.6
Q3 2010162.5
Q2 2010143.7
Q1 2010117.4

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data as of July 2025.


Notes and definitions

Metallurgical coal is a low-ash, low-sulphur and low-phosphorus coal that is used to produce high grade coke. This coke is an essential fuel and reactant for blast furnace ironmaking, and global consumption of met coal is driven by world steel production volume. In order to produce the blast furnace coke, metallurgical coal is baked in a coke oven which forces out impurities to produce the coke. Chemically, this coke is almost pure carbon.

All coke pricing figures above are average quarterly export prices for metallurgical coal ('coking coal'; 'met coal') shipped from the USA expressed in US$ per short ton on an f.a.s. basis [free alongside ship].

Source: all figures above are courtesy of the U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA.