Why US Wants to Make Coal a 'Critical Mineral'

IN A BID TO boost coal production in the United States, President Donald Trump has designated the carbon-based fuel as a "mineral" and instructed officials to determine whether it meets the definition of a "critical mineral".

- AGGAM WALIA

The Trump administration has also removed red tape around coal mining and scrapped the mandatory use of emissions-control technologies in coal-fired plants, as part of efforts to revive America's coal industry, which peaked in the year 2008.

In other parts of the world, too — notably India and China — reliance on coal and thermal power has surged, primarily to balance the grid. In 2024-25, India's coal production crossed the 1-billion tonne mark for the first time.