US-focused thermal coal explorer County Coal has made a stellar debut on the Australian stock exchange.

Shares in the company were up 32 cents, or 80 per cent, at 72 cents at 1553 AEDT on Tuesday compared to losses in the broader market of more than 0.4 per cent.

More than 2.2 million shares in the company had changed hands.

County Coal’s successful initial public offer was for 37.5 million shares at 40 cents to raise $15 million.

The company holds two coal projects in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, and is seeking more.

It plans to export any coal it produces to Asia.