Those areas are located near Moranbah, west of Mackay, Blackwater west of Rockhampton, and Taroom, west of Maryborough. All are close to existing mines or mining leases.
Queensland Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham announced the successful tenderers for coal and minerals tenders in the Queensland North West Minerals Province and the Bowen and Surat basins.
"Unlocking land for resource exploration - whether it is to uncover coal, gas or minerals - is vital to continuing resource development, whether it's for mining jobs or royalties to fund our hospitals and schools," Lynham said.
"Exploration is essential for Queensland to keep up with the world's thirst for tech minerals and our own manufacturing sector's ongoing need for high-quality base metals.
"New coal deposits offer energy security and a long term economic future for all Queenslanders."
The tenders came on the back of Queensland's record 223 million tonnes of coal exports last year, and a recent major geological report that shows Queensland is sitting on almost double the amount of coal than was last known.
The report reveals Queensland has 63Bt of raw coal in-situ - an increase of about 29Bt on the previous estimate.
Lynham said this included more than 14Bt of coking coal - essential to the production of steel for the building and manufacturing sectors.
All explorers have to negotiate land access agreements and fulfil all existing environmental and Native Title requirements before they are granted exploration permits.
These tenders complete the Queensland Government's 2017-18 Annual Exploration Program released in October 2017.
The current Queensland Exploration Program was released in June.
The QEP earmarks more than 44,000sq.km of land for exploration to unlock the next round of resource projects, and the jobs and business opportunities that come with them.
Junior explorer Red Metal will soon be able to seek out zinc, lead, copper and silver deposits across 400sq.km of land located 250km north of Mount Isa.
The land release and exploration injection follows the completion of the $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to Mt Isa, the opening of Dugald River zinc mine and the reopening of the Lady Loretta zinc mine.
As well, the Queensland government made available another $2 million in Collaborative Exploration Initiative grants to kick-start 15 exploration projects in the northwest.
