Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, said designating coal used in steel production as a critical material would further President Donald Trump’s commitment to strengthening the country’s energy and industrial security.
Wright made the designation under the Energy Act of 2020, and said the move is in accordance with Trump’s “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry” executive order signed in April.
Wright said a DOE analysis found that metallurgical coal meets the statutory definition of a critical material. The steel industry is fundamental to U.S. manufacturing, infrastructure development and economic resilience, he said, and coal is a key part of steel production. Because of that connection, materials that enable steel production like metallurgical coal and anthracite are vital to American interests, he said.
“Metallurgical coal is more than a fuel—it is a cornerstone of our industrial base,” Wright said. “By designating metallurgical coal as a critical material, we are ensuring that American steel, generated by American coal, remains the backbone of our manufacturing sector.”
The designation underscores the threats facing the steel industry in the United States, he said, including foreign anti-competitive practices, unreliable supply chains and underinvestment in upstream materials. The determination will support the strategic supply chain development and reindustrialization efforts.