Coal news and updates

Cement-maker in talks for imported coal in lieu of US material

September 23: A leading cement-maker, who, till now, was importing steam coal from the US, is now working on finding an alternate source and is believed to have tied up with a leading miner from one of the other supplier countries – Australia, Indonesia and South Africa - to take supply of off-spec coal, according to information gathered by ICMW from informed sources.

“There appears to be some problem between the cement-maker and the US-based supplier that prompted the former to look at alternative destinations,” the source said.

“The cement-maker, which had imported about 1.5 million tons of US steam coal in 2013-14, has finalised deals with a miner to take supply of coal from a particular mine on a long-term basis,” the source said, adding, “Details of the deal are yet to be made public but, most probably, the cement-maker has finalised a deal with an Indonesian mine.”

The contract was believed to be signed on September 23 and supplies will most probably commence from November, the source added.