World market of coking coals within the period of 2000–2017 and tendencies of its further development

Abstract

Data on mining and consumption of coking coals quoted, including China, Australia, Russia, USA and India. It was shown, that China, taking the first place in the world on those indices, keeps a policy of coals mining and consumption cutting. The China authorities set a task to cut coal mining by 500 mt within 3–5 years beginning from 2016, by mines closing and reducing of working days number at coal-mining plants (from 330 down to 276 a year). At Ukraine in 2017 only 5.2 mt of coking coals were mined, relating to the 2000 level it constitutes only 18.8%. A cardinal reduction of coking coals production from 18.9 mt in 2000 down to 2.4 mt in 2017 observed in Germany. The world consumption of coking coals from 2000 through 2017 increased more than two-folds. However, beginning from 2014, a decreasing trend observed. China is the leader in coking coals consumption. The consumption of them increased in 2017 comparing with 2000 more than five-folds. South Korea takes the fifth place by coking coals consumption. The volume of its consumption increased from 2000 through 2017 by factor 1.9. Ukraine, USA and Germany decreased consumption of coking coals within the period under consideration by 44.3, 38.7 and 40.1% correspondently. The coal world export by end of 2017 comparing with 2000 increased by factor 1.7. By results of 2017, Australia exported 62% of the world coking coal trade volume. USA are the second big exporter of coking coals. The export of coals from the USA in 2017 increased comparing with 2000 by 68%.