1. Coking coal quality evaluation and price mechanism: changing the approach
Shanghai April 2017

2. What we have today Premium low-vol HCC 64 Semi-hard CSR Semi-soft
                  
Semi-hard
Semi-soft
CSR
As a result, coking coals with absolutely different parameters are classified into one group and priced the same.
CSR
VM ad, %
TM ar,
A ad,
S ad,
P ad,
Vitrinite,
Fluidity,
ddpm Y, mm
Coal A 45 24 12 8
0.43
0.05 54
300
Coal B 44
17.50
8.00
10.50
0.25
0.022 88 10
Coal C 30
34.50
9.80
8.30
0.85
0.052 86
10000 20

3. Inaglinsky Coking Coal vs Premium Low-vol
VM ad, %
TM ar,
A ad,
S ad,
P ad,
Vitrinite,
Fluidity,
ddpm
G index Y, mm
Premium Low vol
21.50
9.70
10.50
0.50
0.045 65
500
Inaglinsky
27.60
9.50
10.00
0.40
0.002 98
6000 96 28
It is important to evaluate ALL the parameters and their influence on the quality of the blend                   
quality of metcoke                 
quality of pig iron/steel, cost of production                   

4. Main parameters and their role in the blend
Vitrinite – component which becomes plastic during caking process and acts as a liquid binder component. As a result, high vitrinite coals can compensate less plastic and less expensive carbon sources (e.g. low-caking coals, coke breeze)
Premium low-vol, % 65
Inaglinsky, 98
COST SAVING without quality degradation
Fluidity by Gieseler - high fluidity coals act as a liquid binder component in the blend and allow to blend in a bigger proportion of lower quality=cheaper coals
Premium low-vol,
ddpm
500
Inaglinsky,
6000
COST SAVING without quality degradation

5. Main parametres and their role in the blend
Sulphur – high sulphur in coke requires a bigger amount of lime in the blast furnace increases the amount of of slag and the amount of coke required per 1mt of pig iron
Deteriorates the performance of the blast furnace
Low sulphur coals allow to blend in more cheaper high sulphur coals
Premium low-vol, %
0.50
0.35
Inaglinsky,
COST SAVING without quality deterioration
Phosphorous – high phosphorous deteriorates the quality of pig iron/steel as it becomes more brittle. Low Phosphorous coals allow to blend in more cheaper high phosphorous coals
Premium low-vol, %
0.045
Inaglinsky,
0.002
COST SAVING without quality deterioration

6. Main parameters and their role in the blend
Cold/mechanical strength – shows the ability of coke to avoid yield loss before charging, dust formation and poor bed permeability in the BF.
Adding 7-10% of Inaglinsky in the blend improves coke breakage M25 by 2-4% and abrasion index M10 by1%.

7. Conclusion
Each coking coal should be thoroughly evaluated taking into consideration all its quality characteristics.
It is possible to reduce expenses for coke and steel production without loss of quality by adding coals into the blend which due to their unique quality properties allow to use a bigger proportion of cheaper lower quality coals.
Adding 5-10% of Inaglinsky coal into the blend allows:
Reduce amount of high quality expensive coals in the blend
Decrease the usage of metcoke in the blast furnace by 3-19 kg per 1 mt of pig iron
Decrease pig iron production costs by 5-7%
Receive good quality pig iron with low Sulphur and low Phosphorous