The federal government and Labor have used their numbers to block an inquiry into which companies or individuals control Australia's largest coal development.

Greens senator Larissa Waters accused the opposition on Monday of being too close to the mining industry after it failed to support an urgent investigation into the ownership structure of Indian company Adani's Carmichael coal project in Queensland.

Greens senator Larissa Waters is unhappy her inquiry call into big coal development has been blocked. Credit:Michelle Smith

The Greens had called for an inquiry into the Indian mining giant's financial affairs after a Fairfax Media investigation raised questions about the ultimate ownership of the Abbot Point development, which has been the subject of fierce opposition from environment lobbies because of its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef.

Crossbench senators Jacqui Lambie, Ricky Muir, Nick Xenophon and the Palmer United Party voted in favour of the Greens' calls to establish which entities control the development and whether Adani's environmental track record in India had been properly considered by Environment Minister Greg Hunt.