Anthracite is strategic to a resilient global steel sector

Oct 30

Written By Menar

The future success of the world’s steelmaking industry is intertwined with anthracite supply, Menar’s Managing Director Vuslat Bayoglu emphasised during the Global Carbon Congress.

Bayoglu spoke at the conference held in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, on 29 October, on the topic “Anthracite Supply in the New World Order”. He stated that while steel is at the centre of the global push for infrastructure, especially in emerging economies, anthracite was a key input to ensuring sustainable steelmaking in the future. Anthracite is a form of high-quality coal, known for its high carbon content and energy density. Market Research Intellect estimates a 5.3% growth in the international mined anthracite market in the coming decade.

“We see a future need for anthracite as a resource that provides a pathway toward sustainable steel production due to its efficiency in smelting and cleaner combustion profile,” Bayoglu said. He said the steel production segment accounts for 52% of the global anthracite market revenue, while the high-grade anthracite segment dominated the market at 47% with the Asia Pacific region as a major driver.

Bayoglu shared insights about South Africa (SA), saying that the country had shown consistent output of anthracite in recent years, ranging between 3 and over 2 million tons in the past four years, depending on market conditions and supply-demand dynamics. SA’s anthracite, found predominantly in the country’s KwaZulu-Natal province, is mostly of high quality – characterised by low ash and sulphur.

With the expected increase in the use of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technology in steelmaking, anthracite is becoming increasingly important as steel manufacturers seek to balance growing demand with the need to curtail emissions. “Anthracite is becoming significantly important with the rise of EAF in the steel sector,” Bayoglu remarked. Other anthracite markets showing growth aside from steel include ferroalloys like ferrochrome and ferromanganese which rely on anthracite as a reductant to extract chromium and manganese from their respective ores.

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