The Quarterly Coal Report(QCR) provides detailed quarterly data on U.S. coal production, exports, imports, receipts, prices, consumption, quality, and stocks. The report also provides data on U.S. coke production, consumption, stocks, imports, and exports. All data for 2023 and previous years are final. All data for 2024 are preliminary.

Highlights for the third quarter of 2024

• U.S. coal production during the third quarter of 2024 totaled 136.2 million short tons (MMst), which was 15.3% higher than the previous quarter and 6.6% lower than the third quarter of 2023. Production in the Western region, which represented about 54.9% of total U.S. coal production in the third quarter of 2024, totaled about 74.7 MMst (9.9% lower than the third quarter of 2023).
• U.S. coal exports for the third quarter of 2024 (27.3 MMst) increased 5.9% from the second quarter of 2024. The average price of U.S. coal exports during the third quarter of 2024 was $121.36 per short ton.
• The United States continued to import coal primarily from Colombia (60.7%) and Canada (33.3%). No U.S. coal imports from Australia or Indonesia were reported for the third quarter of 2024. U.S. coal imports in the third quarter of 2024 totaled 0.7 MMst. The average price of U.S. coal imports during the third quarter of 2024 was $154.99 per short ton.
• Steam coal exports totaled 13.8 MMst (14.8% higher than the second quarter of 2024). Metallurgical coal exports totaled 13.5 MMst (2% lower than the second quarter of 2024).
• U.S. coal consumption totaled 120.3 MMst in the third quarter of 2024, which was 32.2% higher than the 91 MMst reported in the second quarter of 2024 and 8.8% lower than the 131.9 MMst reported in the third quarter of 2023. The electric power sector accounted for about 92.7% of the total U.S. coal consumption in the third quarter of 2024.
• In the third quarter of 2024, coal stocks decreased 10%, from 159.9 MMst at the end of the second quarter of 2024 to 143.9 MMst. Stocks in the electric power sector decreased 9%, from 135.4 MMst at the end of the second quarter of 2024 to 122.8 MMst. This drop was the second consecutive decrease in quarterly coal stocks.