The Australian government estimates recoverable proved and probable reserves to be 138Bt at the end of 2014, with about half from black coal and half from brown coal.

Black coal has the higher energy content.

“Australian coal is typically high quality with low ash content,” the report says.

“Most of the country's coal is located in the eastern regions.

“Together, the states of Queensland and NSW accounted for virtually all of Australia's black coal production in 2015, and Victoria in the southeastern region accounted for 96% of brown coal production”

Black coal, which accounts for a vast majority of Australia's coal production, is typically exported, and brown coal, or lignite, is used largely for domestic electricity generation.

 

“A majority of Australia's coal production comes from open pit operations, and the remainder comes from underground mines, which allows Australia's coal mining to be more cost-efficient than many countries,” the report states.