Coal oxidation at low temperatures is the heat source liable for the self-heating and spontaneous combustion of coal. This phenomenon has imposed severe problems in coal related industries. Attempts to understand this phenomenon by previous researchers have provided significant progress. It is well-known that coal oxidation at low temperatures involves oxygen consumption and formation of gaseous and solid oxidation products. This process is majorly influenced by temperature, oxidation history of coal, coal properties, particle size distribution of the coal, etc. The current understanding of the phenomenon of self-heating and spontaneous combustion of coal is discussed along with the different experimental and numerical models established to predict self-heating characteristics of coal. This paper focuses on the global position of the study carried out by academics, research institutes and industries on spontaneous combustion of coal and coal mine fires. Within this framework, the generally used spontaneous combustion techniques to predict the spontaneous combustion liability of coal were evaluated. These techniques are well-known in their usage, but no specific method has become a standard to predict the spontaneous combustion liability. Further study is still needed to indicate a number of impending issues and to obtain a more complete understanding on the phenomenon.