I agree with Tony Brewis not only that coke does not travel well, but that
most coke was made close to the point of use, viz. as at steelworks, as
mentioned also by Jim Besleme's comment.
Gassy coal could lose some calorific value (methane) soon after mining, but
the coking attributes of metallurgical coal are more important and valuable
than a small loss in heating value.
Another interesting and important point favoring coking at the steelworks
rather than at the source of the coal is that railroad tariffs are often largely
based upon "what the traffic will bear". Thus, cargoes of high value will be
charged higher freight costs than those of lesser value. As coke is of
considerably higher worth than raw coal, coke's higher transport cost would
therefore favour situating coke ovens at the steel plant and not at the colliery.
Noel Kirshenbaum
In a message dated 4/28/08 10:57:59 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:
> Ken Smith says "with rlys charging by weight, not volume, it would have
> been cheaper
> to coke at the colliery & take the coke to the steelworks or whatever."
> Ah, but coke is friable and does not handle or travel well. Once, when with
> consulting
> firm W. S. Atkins, whose planning department was involved in many studies in
> which
> developing countries wanted to assess whether they should have a steelworks,
> I noted
> that at that time (the 1960s), the ten countries making the most steel were
> also those which
> mined the most coal, not those which mined the most iron ore.
> The coke needs to be made as near to the blast furnace or electric arc
> furnace as possible.
> Iron ore can be shipped as lump or fines, the latter usually then sintered
> or pelletised
> at the steelworks before charging to the furnace. Sinter, like coke, does
> not travel well.
> Pellets do, generally, ship OK so may, (for instance as at Narvik using iron
> ore from Kiruna)
> may be made before being taken away by ship.
> Tony Brewis
**************
Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for
U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos.
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
|