Industry Overview

Coke is a derivative of coking coal. It plays a very significant role in the metallurgical process. Coke is the main source of heat and is also the reducing agent required to facilitate the conversion of metallurgical ores into metal during the smelting process.

Coke production has traditionally been captive in the integrated steel and pig iron plants. Hence there is no surplus for merchant trading. Most of the coke oven batteries are located in the eastern region of the country in proximity to steel units. As a result, coke consumers in the western and southern regions rely primarily on imported coke.

Coke also finds application in a number of other sectors such as the cement industry, pit furnaces for small castings and gas producers among others.