For most steelmaking, bituminous coal is the one that matters. A specific type of bituminous coal, called coking or metallurgical coal, is turned into coke, the fuel and reducing agent of the blast furnace. Anthracite has more carbon, but it does not soften and fuse when heated, so it cannot make coke. Steel mills use anthracite in supporting roles instead: injected into the furnace, in sinter plants, and as a carbon source in electric arc furnaces.
So the real question is not which coal is “better”, but which job each one does.
Anthracite vs bituminous at a glance
| Bituminous (coking) coal | Anthracite | |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon content | About 45% to 86% | About 86% to 97% |
| Volatile matter | Medium to high | Very low |
| Behaviour when heated without air | Softens, swells and fuses into coke | Does not fuse |
| Main steel use | Making coke for blast furnaces | PCI blends, sintering, carbon raiser in EAFs |
| Relative price | Premium hard coking coal is among the most expensive coals | Varies by size and purity |
| Main sources | Australia, the US, Canada, Russia, Mongolia | China, Russia, Vietnam, Ukraine, the US |
Why steelmakers need coking coal
In a blast furnace, coke does three jobs at once:
- Fuel: it burns to provide the heat that melts the iron.
- Reducing agent: its carbon removes oxygen from the iron ore.
- Support: strong lumps of coke hold up the heavy burden of ore and let gases flow through the furnace.
Only coals that soften, swell and re-solidify into a strong, porous mass can make good coke. These are coking coals, a subset of bituminous coal. Key properties include coke strength after reaction (CSR), fluidity, volatile matter, ash, sulphur and phosphorus.
Coking coal is graded as hard, semi-hard or semi-soft, with hard coking coal commanding the highest prices.
Where anthracite fits in
Anthracite’s high carbon and low volatile matter make it useful where a clean carbon source is needed, without the need to form coke:
- Pulverised coal injection (PCI): finely ground coal is blown into the blast furnace to replace some coke. Anthracite and low-volatile coals are common in PCI blends.
- Sinter plants: anthracite fines are used as fuel to agglomerate iron ore fines.
- Electric arc furnaces: anthracite and calcined anthracite are used as carbon raisers and to create a foaming slag.
Which is best for your plant?
| Process | Coal needed |
|---|---|
| Blast furnace with coke ovens | Hard and semi-soft coking coal for coke, plus PCI coal |
| Blast furnace buying coke | PCI coal, which may include anthracite |
| Sinter plant | Anthracite fines or coke breeze |
| Electric arc furnace | Anthracite or other carbon raisers, no coking coal |
| Direct reduced iron (coal-based) | Non-coking coal with suitable reactivity |
What to check when buying
- Full analysis: ash, volatile matter, fixed carbon, sulphur, phosphorus and moisture
- For coking coal: CSR, CRI, fluidity and swelling index
- For anthracite: fixed carbon, size range and mechanical strength
- Independent inspection at loading
See best practices for sourcing coal for steel and coal in steel production.
About Agromer
Agromer holds mandates for Indonesian thermal coal, which is used in power plants, cement and industrial boilers rather than as coking coal. If you need thermal coal for a power plant or kiln at your steelworks, send us your specification, quantity and discharge port. See our Indonesian coal supply page.
Frequently asked questions
Is anthracite or bituminous coal better for steelmaking?
Bituminous coking coal is essential, because only it can be made into coke for blast furnaces. Anthracite is useful in PCI, sintering and electric arc furnaces.
Why can’t anthracite be used to make coke?
Anthracite does not soften and fuse when heated without air, so it cannot form the strong, porous coke a blast furnace needs.
What is metallurgical coal?
Coal used in steelmaking, mainly coking coal for coke, plus PCI coal injected into the furnace.
What is PCI coal?
Pulverised coal injection coal is finely ground coal blown into the blast furnace to replace some of the coke and lower costs.
Which countries export coking coal?
Australia is the largest exporter, followed by the US, Canada, Russia and Mongolia.
Is anthracite used in electric arc furnaces?
Yes. Anthracite and calcined anthracite are used as carbon raisers and to foam the slag.