The standard of classifying coal is varied from different countries. According to the Chinese standards, seam coal can be classified into 3 categories, high-, mid-, and low-rank coal based upon vitrinite reflectance (Rran), gross calorific value (Qgr,daf or Qgr,maf), volatile matter (Vdaf), caking index (G), total moisture (Mt), tar yield (Tardaf), ash content (Ad), and sulphur content (St,d). In addition, the further classification of coal can be pursued according to a few more parameters, such as maximum thickness of plastic layer (Y), Audibert-Arnu dilatometer (b), transmittance (PM), and hydrogen content (Hdaf).
| Category |
Abbreviation |
Code |
Classification Parameters |
| Vdaf
(%) |
G |
Y
(mm) |
b
(%) |
PM
(%) |
Qgr,maf
(MJ/kg) |
Hdaf
(%) |
| Anthracite |
WY |
01 |
≤3.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
≤2.0 |
| 02 |
>3.5~6.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
>2.0~3.0 |
| 03 |
>6.5~10.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
>3.0 |
| Meager Coal |
PM |
11 |
>10.0~20.0 |
≤5 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Meager Lean Coal |
PS |
12 |
>10.0~20.0 |
>5~20 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Lean Coal |
SM |
13 |
>10.0~20.0 |
>20~50 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 14 |
>10.0~20.0 |
>50~65 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Primary Coking Coal |
JM |
15 |
>10.0~20.0 |
>65 |
≤25.0 |
≤150 |
|
|
|
| 24 |
>20.0~28.0 |
>50~65 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 25 |
>20.0~28.0 |
>65 |
≤25.0 |
≤150 |
|
|
|
| Fat Coal |
FM |
16 |
>10.0~20.0 |
>85 |
>25.0 |
>150 |
|
|
|
| 26 |
>20.0~28.0 |
>85 |
>25.0 |
>150 |
|
|
|
| 36 |
>28.0~37.0 |
>85 |
>25.0 |
>220 |
|
|
|
| Non-caking Coal |
BN |
21 |
>20.0~28.0 |
≤5 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 31 |
>28.0~37.0 |
≤5 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Weakly Caking Coal |
RN |
22 |
>20.0~28.0 |
>5~30 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 32 |
>28.0~37.0 |
>5~30 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1/2 Medium Caking Coal |
1/2ZN |
23 |
>20.0~28.0 |
>30~50 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 33 |
>28.0~37.0 |
>30~50 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Gas Coal |
QM |
34 |
>28.0~37.0 |
>50~65 |
≤25.0 |
≤220 |
|
|
|
| 43 |
>37.0 |
>35~50 |
≤25.0 |
≤220 |
|
|
|
| 44 |
>37.0 |
>50~65 |
≤25.0 |
≤220 |
|
|
|
| 45 |
>37.0 |
>65 |
≤25.0 |
≤220 |
|
|
|
| 1/3 Coking Coal |
1/3JM |
35 |
>28.0~37.0 |
>65 |
≤25.0 |
≤220 |
|
|
|
| Long Flame Coal |
CY |
41 |
>37.0 |
≤5 |
|
|
>30~50 |
>24 |
|
| 42 |
>37.0 |
>5~35 |
|
|
>30~50 |
>24 |
|
| Gas-fat Coal |
QF |
46 |
>37.0 |
>85 |
>25.0 |
>220 |
|
|
|
| Lignite |
HM |
51 |
>37.0 |
|
|
|
≤30 |
|
|
| 52 |
>37.0 |
|
|
|
>30~50 |
≤24 |
|
Metallurgical coal, including gas coal, gas-fat coal, 1/3 coking coal, fat coal, coking coal and lean coal, are divided into different ranking according to the technical standard.
| Class of Metallurgical Coal |
Ash (Ad) % |
Total Sulphur (St,d) % |
Phosphorus (Pd) % |
Caking Index (G) |
Total Moisture (Mt) % |
| Super |
≤5.00 |
≤0.30 |
|
|
|
| 1st |
>5.00~5.50 |
>0.30~0.50 |
<0.010 |
>20~50 |
≤9.0 |
| 2nd |
>5.50~6.00 |
>0.50~0.75 |
≥0.010~0.050 |
>50~80 |
>9.0~10.0 |
| 3rd |
>6.00~6.50 |
>0.75~1.00 |
>0.050~0.100 |
>80 |
>10.0~12.0 |
| 4th |
>6.50~7.00 |
>1.00~1.25 |
>0.100~0.150 |
|
|
| 5th |
>7.00~7.50 |
>1.25~1.50 |
|
|
|
| 6th |
>7.50~8.00 |
>1.50~1.75 |
|
|
|
| 7th |
>8.00~8.50 |
|
|
|
|
| 8th |
>8.50~9.00 |
|
|
|
|
| 9th |
>9.00~9.50 |
|
|
|
|
| 10th |
>9.50~10.00 |
|
|
|
|
| 11th |
>10.00~10.50 |
|
|
|
|
| 12th |
>10.50~11.00 |
|
|
|
|
| 13th |
>11.00~11.50 |
|
|
|
|
| 14th |
>11.50~12.00 |
|
|
|
|
Major Coal Port
Qinhuangdao Port
- A comprehensive international trade port
- 21 coal specialized berths
- Annual capability of handling 193 million tons of coal
- Maximum loading capacity of 9250 t / h
- Maximum storage capacity of 10.425 million tons
Tianjin Port
- The largest international trade port in northern part of China
- China's largest artificial harbor
- 7 coal specialized berths
- Annual capability of handling 33 million tons of coal
- Storage capacity of 1.8 million tons
Rizhao Port
- A large natural harbor deep-water berths
- Contains two 150,000-ton coal berths and a 50,000-ton coal berth
- Annual capability of handling 45 million tons
- 10 coal specialized stockpiles with the storage capacity of 3.5 million tons
Guangzhou Port
- The largest energy transshipment port in southern part of China
- Coal trading center
- Coal annual consumption of Guangdong Province is more than 80 million tons
Qingdao Port
- The first international container transshipment port in mainland China
- 2 coal berths of handling 5,000 tons to 10,000 tons of coal vessels
- Annual capability of handling 15 million tons
- Loading capacity of 9000 tons per hour
Lianyungang
- Contains 60,000 and 35,000 tons berths
- Loading capacity of coal specialized wharf can be up to 12 million tons
- Loading and unloading capabilities of single-loading facility can be reached to 3000 tons / hour
JIngtang Port
- An important port of major national transportation of materials in China
- Contains 31 berths with the capacity from 1.5 to 10 tons
- Annual capability of handling 73.88 million tons
