# Metallurgical coal Price per kg (United States)

The Stockatomics US benchmark price of metallurgical coal is $0.15 per kg coal as of October 2026. The price has held steady over the past month, at +1.2%.

Source: https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/metallurgical-coal-price-us
Category: Critical Minerals (https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/critical-minerals)
Lists: US Critical Minerals List, EU Critical Raw Materials Act

## Key figures

| Figure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price per kg coal | $0.15 |
| Price type | Stockatomics monthly benchmark |
| Price month | October 2026 |
| 1-month change | +1.2% |
| 6-month change | +3.2% |
| 1-year change | +4.7% |
| 5-year change | −4.0% |
| 12-month high | $0.16 |
| 12-month low | $0.14 |
| Last updated | 18 October 2026 |

## Price summary

Metallurgical coal has moved little in the past month (+1.2%). Over the past 12 months it has ranged from $0.14 to $0.16 per kg coal. Over one year the price has changed +4.7%, and over five years −4.0%.

## Metallurgical coal monthly prices

USD per kg coal, newest first.

| Month | Price | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| October 2026 | $0.15 | 0.0% |
| September 2026 | $0.15 | 0.0% |
| August 2026 | $0.15 | +1.1% |
| July 2026 | $0.15 | −4.1% |
| June 2026 | $0.16 | +2.0% |
| May 2026 | $0.16 | +2.2% |
| April 2026 | $0.15 | −4.6% |
| March 2026 | $0.16 | +7.0% |
| February 2026 | $0.15 | +2.5% |
| January 2026 | $0.15 | +1.0% |
| December 2025 | $0.14 | +1.3% |
| November 2025 | $0.14 | −0.5% |
| October 2025 | $0.14 | +3.5% |
| September 2025 | $0.14 | −6.0% |
| August 2025 | $0.15 | +3.7% |
| July 2025 | $0.14 | −1.9% |
| June 2025 | $0.15 | +0.8% |
| May 2025 | $0.14 | −4.1% |
| April 2025 | $0.15 | +0.3% |
| March 2025 | $0.15 | −4.7% |
| February 2025 | $0.16 | +5.5% |
| January 2025 | $0.15 | −6.8% |
| December 2024 | $0.16 | +9.3% |
| November 2024 | $0.15 | −7.6% |
| October 2024 | $0.16 | −7.3% |
| September 2024 | $0.17 | −4.1% |
| August 2024 | $0.18 | −3.5% |
| July 2024 | $0.18 | +2.5% |
| June 2024 | $0.18 | −10.0% |
| May 2024 | $0.20 | −5.8% |
| April 2024 | $0.21 | −3.6% |
| March 2024 | $0.22 | −5.8% |
| February 2024 | $0.23 | −1.6% |
| January 2024 | $0.24 | +0.9% |
| December 2023 | $0.23 | +4.0% |
| November 2023 | $0.23 | +4.1% |
| October 2023 | $0.22 | +10.4% |
| September 2023 | $0.20 | +3.5% |
| August 2023 | $0.19 | −7.5% |
| July 2023 | $0.21 | −5.7% |
| June 2023 | $0.22 | −4.5% |
| May 2023 | $0.23 | −12.2% |
| April 2023 | $0.26 | −1.9% |
| March 2023 | $0.26 | −1.7% |
| February 2023 | $0.27 | +5.4% |
| January 2023 | $0.26 | +0.9% |
| December 2022 | $0.25 | −6.0% |
| November 2022 | $0.27 | +2.2% |
| October 2022 | $0.26 | −1.1% |
| September 2022 | $0.27 | −3.6% |
| August 2022 | $0.28 | −13.9% |
| July 2022 | $0.32 | −12.9% |
| June 2022 | $0.37 | −2.7% |
| May 2022 | $0.38 | −3.2% |
| April 2022 | $0.39 | +7.5% |
| March 2022 | $0.36 | +18.7% |
| February 2022 | $0.31 | +10.2% |
| January 2022 | $0.28 | −3.2% |
| December 2021 | $0.29 | +1.2% |
| November 2021 | $0.28 | +25.3% |
| October 2021 | $0.23 | +19.8% |
| September 2021 | $0.19 | +17.5% |
| August 2021 | $0.16 | −3.9% |
| July 2021 | $0.17 | +13.6% |
| June 2021 | $0.15 | +14.2% |
| May 2021 | $0.13 | +4.7% |
| April 2021 | $0.12 | −9.3% |
| March 2021 | $0.14 | +6.6% |
| February 2021 | $0.13 | +9.1% |
| January 2021 | $0.12 | +6.1% |
| December 2020 | $0.11 | +2.6% |
| November 2020 | $0.11 | −2.7% |
| October 2020 | $0.11 | +6.0% |
| September 2020 | $0.10 | −4.0% |
| August 2020 | $0.11 | +0.1% |
| July 2020 | $0.11 | −2.1% |
| June 2020 | $0.11 | −4.4% |
| May 2020 | $0.12 | −7.6% |
| April 2020 | $0.13 | −1.4% |
| March 2020 | $0.13 | −1.2% |
| February 2020 | $0.13 | +6.1% |
| January 2020 | $0.12 | −5.5% |
| December 2019 | $0.13 | +0.5% |
| November 2019 | $0.13 | −3.0% |
| October 2019 | $0.13 | −5.4% |
| September 2019 | $0.14 | −3.6% |
| August 2019 | $0.14 | −5.1% |
| July 2019 | $0.15 | −5.6% |
| June 2019 | $0.16 | −0.2% |
| May 2019 | $0.16 | −0.7% |
| April 2019 | $0.16 | −2.3% |
| March 2019 | $0.17 | +0.8% |
| February 2019 | $0.17 | −2.1% |
| January 2019 | $0.17 | +6.3% |
| December 2018 | $0.16 | −4.9% |
| November 2018 | $0.17 | +4.6% |
| October 2018 | $0.16 | +5.0% |
| September 2018 | $0.15 | +2.6% |
| August 2018 | $0.15 | −4.5% |
| July 2018 | $0.15 | +2.6% |
| June 2018 | $0.15 | +1.1% |
| May 2018 | $0.15 | −6.3% |
| April 2018 | $0.16 | −6.2% |
| March 2018 | $0.17 | +3.4% |
| February 2018 | $0.16 | +0.5% |
| January 2018 | $0.16 | +26.2% |
| December 2017 | $0.13 | −6.1% |
| November 2017 | $0.14 | −3.1% |
| October 2017 | $0.14 | +0.8% |
| September 2017 | $0.14 | +0.3% |
| August 2017 | $0.14 | −0.4% |
| July 2017 | $0.14 | −7.6% |
| June 2017 | $0.15 | −12.6% |
| May 2017 | $0.17 | +10.8% |
| April 2017 | $0.16 | −13.3% |
| March 2017 | $0.18 | +2.1% |
| February 2017 | $0.18 | +7.2% |
| January 2017 | $0.17 | +13.8% |
| December 2016 | $0.15 | +5.3% |
| November 2016 | $0.14 | +20.1% |
| October 2016 | $0.12 | +32.1% |
| September 2016 | $0.088 | +5.7% |
| August 2016 | $0.083 | +3.6% |
| July 2016 | $0.08 | +8.1% |
| June 2016 | $0.074 | −6.6% |
| May 2016 | $0.079 | +3.1% |
| April 2016 | $0.077 | +7.6% |
| March 2016 | $0.071 | −2.7% |
| February 2016 | $0.073 | −10.6% |
| January 2016 | $0.082 | −3.3% |
| December 2015 | $0.085 | −3.5% |
| November 2015 | $0.088 | −4.9% |
| October 2015 | $0.092 | −1.6% |
| September 2015 | $0.094 | +1.3% |
| August 2015 | $0.093 | −3.7% |
| July 2015 | $0.096 | −8.2% |
| June 2015 | $0.10 | +5.4% |
| May 2015 | $0.1 | −3.4% |
| April 2015 | $0.10 | +0.9% |
| March 2015 | $0.10 | −7.6% |
| February 2015 | $0.11 | +6.1% |
| January 2015 | $0.10 | +0.7% |
| December 2014 | $0.10 | −1.5% |
| November 2014 | $0.11 | −1.7% |
| October 2014 | $0.11 | −1.7% |
| September 2014 | $0.11 | +3.9% |
| August 2014 | $0.10 | −3.8% |
| July 2014 | $0.11 | +5.4% |
| June 2014 | $0.10 | −3.9% |
| May 2014 | $0.11 | −3.9% |
| April 2014 | $0.11 | −2.7% |
| March 2014 | $0.11 | −1.2% |
| February 2014 | $0.12 | −5.9% |
| January 2014 | $0.12 | +1.6% |
| December 2013 | $0.12 | −0.3% |
| November 2013 | $0.12 | −0.4% |
| October 2013 | $0.12 | +0.9% |
| September 2013 | $0.12 | −1.1% |
| August 2013 | $0.12 | −2.6% |
| July 2013 | $0.13 | −2.7% |
| June 2013 | $0.13 | −3.8% |
| May 2013 | $0.13 | +3.5% |
| April 2013 | $0.13 | +0.5% |
| March 2013 | $0.13 | −0.5% |
| February 2013 | $0.13 | −6.5% |
| January 2013 | $0.14 | +0.1% |
| December 2012 | $0.14 | −3.6% |
| November 2012 | $0.14 | −3.4% |
| October 2012 | $0.15 | −8.2% |
| September 2012 | $0.16 | +2.8% |
| August 2012 | $0.16 | −4.6% |
| July 2012 | $0.17 | −1.3% |
| June 2012 | $0.17 | −3.1% |
| May 2012 | $0.17 | +1.3% |
| April 2012 | $0.17 | −6.2% |
| March 2012 | $0.18 | +1.2% |
| February 2012 | $0.18 | −7.3% |
| January 2012 | $0.19 | −0.8% |
| December 2011 | $0.20 | −4.2% |
| November 2011 | $0.20 | +3.9% |
| October 2011 | $0.20 | −9.2% |
| September 2011 | $0.22 | −1.8% |
| August 2011 | $0.22 | −3.6% |
| July 2011 | $0.23 | +4.7% |
| June 2011 | $0.22 | +4.5% |
| May 2011 | $0.21 | +2.6% |
| April 2011 | $0.20 | +2.8% |
| March 2011 | $0.20 | +3.6% |
| February 2011 | $0.19 | +11.8% |
| January 2011 | $0.17 | +0.8% |
| December 2010 | $0.17 | −4.8% |
| November 2010 | $0.18 | −2.3% |
| October 2010 | $0.18 | −3.8% |
| September 2010 | $0.19 | +12.9% |
| August 2010 | $0.17 | −6.0% |
| July 2010 | $0.18 | +3.9% |
| June 2010 | $0.17 | +8.1% |
| May 2010 | $0.16 | +10.4% |
| April 2010 | $0.14 | +8.7% |
| March 2010 | $0.13 | +3.6% |
| February 2010 | $0.13 | +1.9% |
| January 2010 | $0.13 | - |

## What metallurgical coal is used for

Metallurgical coal, also called coking coal, is coal used to make iron rather than electricity. Heated without air, it becomes **coke**, which fuels the blast furnace, strips the oxygen from iron ore and holds the furnace burden open so gas can pass through. Most of the world's steel is still made this way, so demand tracks blast-furnace output, above all in Asia.

### Other uses

- Pulverised coal injection, which replaces part of the coke in blast furnaces
- Foundry coke for cast iron
- A reductant in ferroalloy and silicon production
- Carbon products and chemicals

## Metallurgical coal supply and demand factors

Demand for metallurgical coal follows **blast-furnace steel**, not electricity, and is led by China and India. Supply is a quality market: only certain coals form strong coke, and Australian premium hard coking coal sets much of the seaborne price, so weather, mine problems or rail outages in Queensland move it quickly. Over the long term, the shift to scrap-based electric arc furnaces and to hydrogen-based ironmaking will erode demand, but the pace is slow.

### What moves the price

- Blast-furnace steel output in China, India and the rest of Asia
- Australian supply disruptions, especially weather
- Chinese domestic coal output and import policy
- The pace of scrap and hydrogen steelmaking

## Metallurgical coal price history

Metallurgical coal prices swing harder than thermal coal when a steel upturn meets an Australian supply break. Queensland's floods in 2011, a cyclone in 2017, China's informal ban on Australian coal from 2020 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 each produced sharp spikes, with 2022 setting records for premium hard coking coal.

As of October 2026, the Stockatomics benchmark price is $0.15 per kg coal.

## Where metallurgical coal is produced

**Australia** is the largest seaborne exporter of metallurgical coal, followed by the **United States**, **Canada**, Russia and Mongolia. **China** is the largest producer and consumer, mining most of its own coal, while India is the fastest-growing importer.

## Why metallurgical coal is a critical mineral

Metallurgical coal was added to the **US critical minerals list** in 2025, and coking coal is on the **EU critical raw materials list**. Primary steel still depends on it, there is no coke-free route at scale for blast furnaces, and premium seaborne supply is concentrated in Australia.

## How the metallurgical coal benchmark price is calculated

Stockatomics publishes a monthly US benchmark price for metallurgical coal in US dollars per kg coal, reading as of October 2026. The figure is a price for metallurgical coal as traded, not for coke and not for power-station coal.

### Converting the price

- Per tonne of coal: multiply the price per kg by 1,000

## Metallurgical coal stocks

| Company | Ticker | Exchange | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alpha Metallurgical Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/alpha-metallurgical-resources-nyse-amr) | AMR | NYSE | Producer |
| [Anglo American](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/anglo-american-lon-aal) | AAL | LON | Producer |
| [BHP](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/bhp-nyse-bhp) | BHP | NYSE | Producer |
| [Glencore](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/glencore-otc-glcnf) | GLCNF | OTC | Producer |
| [Ramaco Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/ramaco-resources-nasdaq-metc) | METC | NASDAQ | Producer |
| [Warrior Met Coal](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/warrior-met-coal-nyse-hcc) | HCC | NYSE | Producer |
| [Whitehaven Coal](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/whitehaven-coal-asx-whc) | WHC | ASX | Producer |

All 7 metallurgical coal stocks: https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/metallurgical-coal-stocks

## FAQ

### What is the price of metallurgical coal per kg today?

The Stockatomics US benchmark price of metallurgical coal is $0.15 per kg coal as of October 2026. Stockatomics updates it every month.

### What is metallurgical coal used for?

Making coke for blast furnaces, which turn iron ore into iron for steel. It is not the coal burned in power stations, which is called thermal or steam coal.

### Who exports metallurgical coal?

Australia leads the seaborne market, followed by the United States, Canada, Russia and Mongolia, while China and India are the largest buyers.

### Why is metallurgical coal on a critical minerals list?

Blast-furnace steelmaking has no coke-free route at scale yet, and premium coking coal supply is concentrated in a few exporting regions.

### How is the metallurgical coal benchmark price calculated?

The Stockatomics benchmark for metallurgical coal is a monthly US price in US dollars per kg coal, published every month and current as of October 2026.

## Related commodities

- [Copper price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/copper-price-us): $13.92 per kg contained
- [Nickel price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/nickel-price-us): $17.24 per kg contained
- [Cobalt price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cobalt-price-us): $56.81 per kg contained
- [Chromium price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/chromium-price-us): $1.86 per kg contained
- [Lead price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lead-price-us): $1.93 per kg contained
- [Manganese price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/manganese-price-us): $0.58 per kg contained

## Sources

- U.S. trade data: the monthly metallurgical coal price.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): the US critical minerals list.
- Company filings: the listed companies and their roles.

Last updated 18 October 2026.