Soviet industrial expansion depends on coal as a source of power and raw materials for the metallurgical and chemical industries. A knowledge of the coal resources and the outlook for production of the U.S.S.R. therefore is essential for a critical evaluation of Soviet industrial potential. Although there is considerable literature on the Soviet coal industry, no single source provides an authoritative study of how the industry functions and how well it performs its job. This article is based on a review of sources published by the U.S.S.R.