Context:
Govt should include coking coal in list of critical minerals to boost production: Niti Report
Coking Coal and India:
- India is the largest importer of coking coal globally.
- The increase in coking coal imports aligns with a rise in India’s steel production.
- India is the 2nd largest producer of crude steel after China.
- Top Importing Countries – Australia, the US, and Russia are the largest suppliers of coking coal to India.
- Shipments from Russia saw a 200% increase whereas Australia’s share of India’s coking coal imports dropped to 54%.
- There has been a slight increase in sourcing from Mozambique and Indonesia.
Coking Coal:
- Also known as metallurgical coal
- Naturally occurring sedimentary rock found within the earth’s crust.
- Includes various quality grades like hard coking coal, semi-hard coking coal, and semi-soft coking coal, all used in steelmaking
- Typically contains more carbon, less ash, and less moisture than thermal coal which is used for electricity generation.
- Formation of Coke –
- Coking coal is heated in the absence of air in coke ovens to produce coke, a porous, carbon-rich material.
- This process, called coking, removes volatile compounds from the coal, making the coke suitable for use in blast furnaces.
- Global Production – Largest producers of coking coal were China (62%), Australia (15%), Russia (9%), USA (5%), and Canada (3%).
Critical Minerals for India:
- The list of critical minerals varies among countries based on their industries and priorities.
- India has identified 30 critical minerals that are essential for its industries and must prioritize efforts to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain.
- The identified minerals include Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium, and Cadmium.
- States/UTs with Critical Minerals – Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
- Import Dependency – India is heavily reliant on imports for critical minerals, with 100% import dependency for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
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Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
In India, what is the role of the Coal Controller’s Organization (CCO)?
1. CCO is the major source of Coal Statistics in Government of India.
2. It monitors progress of development of Captive Coal/Lignite blocks.
3. It hears any objection to the Government’s notification relating to acquisition of coal – bearing areas. 4. It ensures that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 4
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 4 is not correct: Ensuring that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time is not the function of the Coal Controller’s Organization (CCO)