Coal is a common fuel used worldwide mainly in the production of electricity. It is used for cooling, heating, powering machines, charging mobile phones and even electric cars. It is also used in furnaces to produce metals like steel and can be used in the manufacturing of plastics, explosives, fertilisers, cement, bricks and tiles. Find out more about coal, its uses, how it is mined and processed the coal export industry in this fact sheet.

These items are made by mining and processing minerals into metals and other materials.This fact sheet looks at the underground mining process and the technology used to extract these minerals from the earth. The affects of mining on the environment and methods used to rehabilitate underground mines after mining are also included.

These items are made by mining and processing minerals into metals and other materials.This fact sheet looks at the open-cut mining process, used to extract these minerals from the earth; its affect on the environment and methods used to rehabilitate open-cut mines after mining.

Students build a flowchart to summarise electricity production in coal-fired power stations.

How does coal generate electricity? This interactive 3D animated model explains the mechanisms of coal fired power. The generation of Queenslands coal fired power using latest technologies is shown in stages from Providing the Fuel to Cleaning the Gases.

This interactive Google Earth energy map provides the locations for all Fossil Fuel Power Stations generating electricity in Australia. Scroll your mouse over the map to reveal location details and generating capacity of coal and gas fired power stations in Australia. To view details of the installation and associated websites click on the icon.

This interactive Google Map provides the location of oil, gas and methane gas fields in Queensland. Scroll your mouse over the map to reveal oil, gas and methane fields in Queensland. Click on a site to reveal the type and location of the field and associated website. (Not all deposits are linked to a website). Where a cluster of deposits occurs click in the middle of the cluster to view specific field details.

A compressed file containing all Operating Mines in Australia - March 2010 - will open in Google Earth.Scroll your mouse over the map and click on an icon to view mine details and associated website. (Not all mines are linked to a website)Where a cluster of mines occurs click in the middle of the cluster to view specific mine details. To zoom in closer to the mine use the Google icons to the right of the screen.

This interactive Google Earth energy map provides the locations for all Fossil Fuel Power Stations generating electricity in Australia. Scroll your mouse over the map to reveal location details of coal and gas fired power stations in Australia. To view details of the installation and associated websites click on the icon.A compressed file containing all Renewable Power Stations in Australia - March 2010 - will open in Google Earth. Scroll your mouse over the map to reveal the location details from wind, solar, biomass and hydro energy sites in Queensland. To view details of the site and associated website(s) click on the icon.

Coal gasification and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) are low emission coalfired power generation technologies. Find out more about the process of integrating a coal gasification power plant with the capture and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to generate low emission base-load electricity in this fact sheet.