PERTH, AUSTRALIA--December 24, 2014--Researched by Industrial Info Resources Australia (Perth, Australia)--The coal market has been swamped in chaos during the last 12 months. Coal prices soared from about $50 to more than $200 a ton between 2005 and 2008, but have since declined to less than $70 per tonne as a result of an increase in global supply and lower demand from China. The Coal Industry has been forced to restructure its workforce in order to remain viable for the future, with some sources estimating that more than 2,500 jobs were cut this year in Australia as mining companies downsized operations or shut them permanently. Within this article: Overview of Australia's coal markets.