Metallurgical Coal

Coal

Metallurgical Coal

There are two types of coal, metallurgical coal and energy coal. Metallurgical coal has the metallurgical properties to produce coke, which is used to make iron within a blast furnace, the dominant steel-making technology.

As a critical ingredient within efficient steel production, metallurgical coal is a material that ultimately contributes to the affordable construction of high-rise buildings and other key infrastructure such as bridges.

We produce premium-quality, hard-coking coal for steelmaking at our Illawarra Metallurgical Operation in New South Wales, Australia.

Key stats

5,497 KT

Metallurgical coal production in FY23

Use of metallurgical coal

Steelmaking

Learn more

Coal is a crucial ingredient in the processing of iron ore. Metallurgical coal is heated to create coke, which is then added to a blast furnace with iron ore, producing pig iron. That pig iron is then used to make steel.

Steel is widely used as a strong and low-cost metal, particularly in buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and machinery.

Producing metallurgical coal

South32 produces metallurgical coal at our Illawarra Metallurgical Coal (IMC) operation in New South Wales, Australia.

Illawarra Metallurgical Coal

New South Wales, Australia

At Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, our underground mines at Appin and Dendrobium produce premium-quality, hard coking coal for steelmaking. As a by-product, we also supply small amounts of energy coal.

Everything is processed at our coal preparation plants at West Cliff and Dendrobium, before being transported by road and rail down to Port Kembla in Wollongong. From there it is transported within Australia and around the world.

We also manage the Port Kembla Coal Terminal on behalf of a consortium of partners.

Learn more about Illawarra Metallurgical Coal

Metallurgical Coal

Coal