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Abstract Coal is considered to behave as a brittle material and its failure is represented by a sudden and devastating change in the structure. Therefore, the brittleness of coal must have a strong influence on the behaviour of coal during mining operations. This study investigates the relationship between brittleness and other properties of coal having an established influence upon the coal-winning process. The brittleness, in-situ cutting resistance, initial critical penetration stress, Protodyakonov strength index and % fines in the Protodyakonov test were determined for Sunny Side, Deer Creek and Price River coals in Utah, U.S.A. It was observed that the cuttability, penetrability, Protodyakonov strength index and dust generation of coal are strongly dependent upon the brittleness of coal. The dependence of these properties on the brittleness of coal has been discussed in the light of the mechanical coal-winning process.
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