January 23, 2024 - Metallurgical (“met”) coal is an essential ingredient in the steelmaking process.  Converted to metallurgical coke in specialty ovens where it is heated in the absence of oxygen, it becomes both a fuel and chemical reductant that allows a blast furnace to create iron from ore and limestone. A specialty form of met coal, referred to as “PCI coal” (pulverized coal injection) is ground to a fine powder and blown into a blast furnace to help provide the heat necessary to melt the furnace charge of iron ore, coke, and limestone.

Coke is also used to strengthen steel by infusing it with carbon when iron is converted to finished steel.

West Virginia produced 58% of all the met coal mined in the U.S. last year, making the Mountain State the largest met coal producer in the country.