Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different coal prices published by EIA?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) publishes various coal prices:
- Spot price is the price for a one-time open market transaction for immediate delivery purchased on the spot at current market rates.
- Nymex futures price are prices on contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) for the delivery of a specified quantity of a commodity at a specified time and place in the future.
- Mine sales price is calculated from the free on board (FOB) value of coal at the coal mine without any insurance or freight transportation charges added.
- Captive sales price is the FOB sale price for coal used by the producing company or sold to affiliated or parent companies.
- Open market sales price is the price of coal sold on the open market to companies other than the reporting company's parent company or a subsidiary of the parent company.
Learn more:
Coal price data
Last reviewed: August 3, 2016
Other FAQs about Coal
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- Does EIA have projections for energy production, consumption, and prices for individual states?
- Does EIA publish coking coal prices?
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- How do I convert between short tons and metric tons?
- How large are U.S. coal reserves?
- How many power plants are there in the United States?
- How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatthour of electricity?
- Which states produce the most coal?
- To what country does the United States export the most coal?
- What are the different coal prices published by EIA?
- What is the average heat content of U.S. coal?
- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?