How Do You Tell Quality Coal? 6 Checks for Good Stove Coal

Short answer: quality coal shows in its paperwork and bag declaration, not its colour or shine. The bag should show certificate details, origin and dry-basis net calorific value. Turkish rules require at least 6,400 kcal/kg for imported hard coal and 4,800, 4,200 or 3,400 kcal/kg for domestic coal, depending on the province group. Then check dust, wetness and ash.

Current prices and types: Coal prices →

How can you tell good coal: which 6 checks?

The rules for heating coal moved on 16 September 2026 into the Regulation on the Control of Solid Fuels for the Protection of Air Quality, published in Turkey's Official Gazette. The checks below rest on that regulation and on official guides.

What should the bag say, and how do you read it?

The regulation's bag template lists the importer or producer, the date and number of the compliance certificate, intended use, origin and bag weight, plus rows for sulphur, net calorific value, moisture, ash and size; each row shows both the legal limit and the value the company commits to. Colour-coded bags with a QR code become mandatory on 1 June 2028: green for imported coal, blue for domestic group 1, yellow for group 2 and grey for rural use. The Manisa Provincial Directorate of Environment warns that bags of TKİ (the state coal company) have been copied and filled with low-grade coal, and stresses that the sales permit matters more than how the bag looks. For each line explained, see what the figures on a coal bag mean.

How many calories should quality coal have?

The declared value should sit above the legal minimum; which limit applies where, and the difference between dry and as-received basis, are tabulated in how many calories coal should have. According to the bag declaration, the imported Siberian coal we sell is 7,000–7,800 kcal/kg on a dry basis, and domestic TKİ Soma coal has a net calorific value of 4,800–5,200 kcal/kg. Details: Siberian coal prices and specifications.

How do you spot dust, wetness and stones?

• Dust: The regulation sets a size of 18–150 mm for stove and boiler coal. If a lot of dust and fines comes out of the bottom of the bag, compare it with the size declaration and ask the seller; fines beyond the tolerance breach the regulation.
• Wetness: HETAS, which certifies solid fuel appliances in the UK, says coal with a lot of surface water creates steam in the appliance and advises waiting for surface moisture to dry off.
• Stones and ash: Non-combustible mineral matter ends up as ash. In laboratory calculations, ash plus total moisture is called “ballast”, the part that gives no heat. If you find many unburnt stones in the ash pan, question the ash declaration.

Is domestic or imported coal better?

The regulation sets stricter limits for imported coal: sulphur at most 0.9% on a dry basis, against at most 2% for domestic group 1. The Manisa note also says imported coals have high heating values and low sulphur. Price, stove type and how often you want to empty the ash decide which suits you; for a comparison in numbers see imported or domestic coal, and for quantities use our fuel calculator.

What does it depend on?

• Coal type and origin (imported hard coal or domestic lignite)
• The basis the heating value is stated on (dry or as received)
• Total moisture and ash
• Whether the lump size suits your stove or boiler
• Firing technique: the TKİ guide recommends lighting from the top

Safety note

No coal is smokeless; every stove can produce carbon monoxide. Turkey's Ministry of Health describes carbon monoxide as a colourless, odourless, poisonous gas, and the US CDC says it can kill without warning. With headache, dizziness or weakness, air the room and call 112 at once. For symptoms and choosing a detector, read carbon monoxide detectors and stove gas symptoms.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best stove coal?

There is no single brand answer. Certified coal declared above the legal minimum, sized 18–150 mm and dry burns well in a stove. For which coal suits a stove, see which coal burns in a stove.

How many calories does Siberian coal have?

According to the bag declaration, the Siberian coal we sell is 7,000–7,800 kcal/kg on a dry basis. The as-received value is lower because of moisture.

Does stored coal lose calories?

Coal left in the open for a long time can oxidise and lose heating value. For details and storage, see how long stove coal burns and how to store it.

How is the calorific value of coal calculated?

Not at home; an accredited laboratory measures it and it is printed on the bag. Converting between bases is explained in our calorie article.

How can I tell whether coal has a sales permit?

Ask the seller for it; the bag should carry the compliance certificate details and company information. If in doubt, ask the provincial directorate.

Sources: Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Regulation on the Control of Solid Fuels for the Protection of Air Quality (Official Gazette, 16.09.2026, no. 33372) and Annex 1 tables; Manisa Provincial Directorate of Environment, Air Pollution Information Note; TKİ, Stove Coal Guide; HETAS, keeping coal-based fuels dry; SGS, Coal calculations; Ministry of Health, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; CDC, Carbon monoxide basics.