Coking Coal

Source: TH

Context: India’s coking coal imports surged to a six-year peak in the first half of the current fiscal (April-September 2023), driven by increased imports from Russia amidst rising domestic steel production.

Recent status of Coking Coal imports:

• Import volume: 29.6 million tonnes (mt) of coking coal imported in H1 FY24, a six-year high.

• Russian imports: Shipments from Russia rose significantly, with a 200% increase, reaching 4 MT in H1 FY24.

• Alternative sourcing: India’s mills capitalized on Russia’s discounted coking coal, while imports from traditional sources like Australia saw a decline.

NOTE: No need to remember all these data for prelims but you can use them in your mains answers which can fetch additional marks.

About Coking Coal:

• Content and formation: Composition: Bituminous coal with high carbon content, low sulphur, phosphorus, and alkalis, making it suitable for steelmaking. Formation: Formed from the carbonization of coal at high temperatures to produce metallurgical coke.

• Composition: Bituminous coal with high carbon content, low sulphur, phosphorus, and alkalis, making it suitable for steelmaking.

• Formation: Formed from the carbonization of coal at high temperatures to produce metallurgical coke.

• Chemical and physical indicators: High carbon Content: Essential for the strength and efficiency of coke in blast furnaces. Low impurities: Lower sulphur and phosphorus content than steam coal to minimize contamination in steel production.

• High carbon Content: Essential for the strength and efficiency of coke in blast furnaces.

• Low impurities: Lower sulphur and phosphorus content than steam coal to minimize contamination in steel production.

• Importance: Steel production: Critical for producing pig iron in blast furnaces, where it acts as a reducing agent and supports the furnace charge. Industrial by-products: Produces by-products like tar, benzole, ammonia sulphate, and coke oven gas, which support chemical manufacturing and power generation.

• Steel production: Critical for producing pig iron in blast furnaces, where it acts as a reducing agent and supports the furnace charge.

• Industrial by-products: Produces by-products like tar, benzole, ammonia sulphate, and coke oven gas, which support chemical manufacturing and power generation.

• India’s resources and dependency: Despite being a major steel producer, India is a net importer of coking coal due to limited domestic reserves.

Insta Links:

• Indias-coal-and-lignite-production