The federal government is remaining tight-lipped about the cost of a deal made with Whitehaven Coal to ship 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to Ukraine.
Coal has recently been trading upwards of $400 per tonne, but Energy Minister Angus Taylor said he was not "party to the details of what the transaction involved".
It was unclear if Whitehaven offered a discounted price to the government, but at the current coal price the transaction could have been worth in excess of $31 million.
"Coal out of Newcastle today is going for $US329/t ($446)," resources analyst David Lennox said.
Whitehaven Coal, which operates predominantly in north-west New South Wales, said it was "proud" in a "very tight supply market" to able to meet the needs of Ukraine.
Mr Taylor said it was a simple decision for the Australian government after Ukraine requested supplies to keep coal-fired power generators in the country operating.
The federal government will also cover transport costs and has not ruled out sending more coal to the war-torn country.
The shipment will leave the Port of Newcastle bound for Poland and is expected to finish its journey to Ukraine by rail.
"I suspect that the route into Ukraine will be overland, probably dropped at a safer port out of the Black Sea and then railed in would be the safer way to go," Mr Lennox said.
