SteelOrbis Shanghai
In the first seven months of this year, coal exports from Shanxi Province registered an increase in both quantity and price. Coal exports from the province in July alone rose 51.3 percent year on year to 567,000 mt.
During January-July, Shanxi Province exported 2.96 million mt of coal, for a total value of $420 million. There are three main distinguishing features of Shanxi's coal exports: Shanxi mainly exports coals to South Korea and Japan; bituminous coal is the principal variety being exported; and most exported coal is sold via the spot market.
During Jan-July 2008, Shanxi exported 1.466 million mt of coal to South Korea, up 31.5 percent year on year; and it also exported 943,000 mt of coal to Japan, up 58.5 percent year on year. Shanxi's exports to these two countries accounted for 81.4 percent of its total coal exports in this period. Meanwhile, bituminous coal exports registered at 1.815 million mt, up 63.7 percent year on year, accounting for 61.3 percent of Shanxi's total coal exports in the same period; meanwhile, anthracite coal and coking coal exports reached 665,000 mt and 477,000 mt respectively, the latter decreasing by 6.5 percent year on year.