Alberta Energy encourages the responsible development of the province's extensive coal deposits through planning and liaison with government, industry and communities to ensure competitive tenure and royalty regimes are attractive to investors, and appropriate mining regulations and environmental protection are in place.  The department issues and administers coal leases on Crown lands and collects royalties from producing mines.

Alberta's coal contains more than twice the energy of all of the province's other non-renewable energy resources, including conventional oil and pentanes, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and bitumen and synthetic crude.

Coal in Alberta is generally low in sulphur and therefore burns relatively clean compared to many coals mined around the world.  Leading edge technologies, such as coal gasification, coal liquefaction, carbon dioxide storage and sequestration, have the potential to allow Alberta to utilize its coal with near-zero, possibly even zero, emissions into the atmosphere.

The coal industry provides benefits to communities through employment opportunities, community infrastructure development, and economic prosperity. Coal is also a source of revenue for Albertans.

Energy Resources Conservation Board reports provide detailed information on number of mines, coal reserves, production and disposition, by coal type and by destination.