Coal mining is classified within the primary sector of the economy. This sector involves the extraction and harvesting of natural resources directly from the earth, such as raw materials like coal, minerals, and agricultural products
. Specifically, coal mining is part of the mining industry, which is a key component of the primary or extractive sector, focused on producing raw materials for further industrial use
. The coal extracted is critical for industries such as steelmaking, cement production, and energy generation, underpinning various secondary and tertiary economic activities
. Thus, coal mining is fundamentally an activity in the primary economic sector.
