Anthracite & PCI Coal (Low-Vol and Mid-Tier)

Pulverised coal injection coal by volatile matter, ash and HGI; anthracite for sinter and filtration

PCI coal is not coked. It is ground and blown through the tuyeres of a blast furnace to replace part of the coke, so the buyer judges it on how much coke each tonne displaces and how easily the mill grinds it. The benchmark numbers come from the Platts Low Vol PCI assessment, normalised to 13% volatile matter, 8.5% ash, 0.55% sulphur (all air-dried), 7,800 kcal/kg gross as received and a Hardgrove Grindability Index of 78, with total carbon of 90.5%; the Mid-Tier PCI assessment (formerly Low-Vol 12% Ash) is normalised to 15% volatile matter and 12% ash. Platts publishes PCI FOB Australia with Hay Point as the location, and CFR China and CFR India. Low-vol coal carries more carbon per tonne and replaces more coke; higher-volatile coals burn out faster in the raceway and are blended in by furnaces that have the grinding and injection capacity. Ash and sulphur go into the slag and hot metal, so they are penalised; HGI decides whether the pulveriser holds rate.

Anthracite is the highest-rank coal, with volatile matter typically below 10%, more fixed carbon and less ash than coke breeze. Sinter plants use it as a partial substitute for coke breeze, and research published in Scientific Reports (2021) on partial substitution found it a way to cut emissions and cost, with a slight loss of sinter productivity at 60% substitution at industrial scale. Sized and washed anthracite also goes into filter media and, calcined, into carbon raisers. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 2701.11 (anthracite) total about USD 1.53 billion, led by China at 43.4%, Peru at 12.5%, the USA at 11.5%, Indonesia at 8.7% and South Africa at 5.7%; in Viet Nam, Vinacomin exports through its marketing agent Coalimex only coal surplus to domestic demand. PCI coal is usually declared as bituminous coal under HS 2701.12 by rank. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers PCI coal and anthracite against SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek certification of proximate analysis, sulphur, calorific value, HGI and size, with a certificate of origin, in Supramax and Panamax parcels on FOB and CFR terms, or in jumbo bags in containers for sized anthracite. Because CBIL also runs a chartering desk (LaycanDesk), the freight leg is quoted alongside the cargo. Price is agreed per lot on the certified quality; Platts PCI assessments and Argus and Fastmarkets coal indices are the usual references. Send your volatile-matter band, ash and sulphur ceilings, HGI floor and discharge port and we will work the origin to it.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices coal and petcoke bulk freight on LaycanDesk.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.