U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 22, 2025, designated coal used in steelmaking as a critical material, acting under the Energy Act of 2020 and in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.” A Department of Energy analysis concluded that metallurgical coal meets the statutory definition of a critical material. A Federal Register Notice was published in connection with the designation.
What it means
The designation covers two distinct roles for coal in domestic steel production. Metallurgical coal is used to produce coke, the fuel and reactant required for the blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace steelmaking method. Anthracite coal, concentrated in the Appalachian region, plays a key role in the electric arc furnace method, which accounts for approximately 70% of domestic steel production. More than 150 metallurgical coal mines currently operate in the United States, employing tens of thousands of Americans, according to the department. Secretary Wright said in the announcement that “metallurgical coal is more than a fuel—it is a cornerstone of our industrial base,” and that “American steel, generated by American coal, remains the backbone of our manufacturing sector.”
Key facts
- Designating authority: Energy Act of 2020
- Executive Order cited: “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry”
- Materials designated: metallurgical coal (blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace method) and anthracite coal (electric arc furnace method)
- Electric arc furnace share of U.S. steel production: approximately 70%
- U.S. metallurgical coal mines: more than 150, employing tens of thousands of Americans
- Anthracite coal concentration: Appalachian region
- Federal Register Notice published in connection with the designation
- Announcement date: May 22, 2025
Source: U.S. Department of Energy news release (energy.gov)