Coal

SIEC section 0. One of the ten top-level sections of the Standard International Energy Product Classification (SIEC); see that page for the classification’s scope rules, coding system and full Table 3.1 code list. All product definitions below are from the internationally agreed definitions developed by InterEnerStat and reviewed by the Oslo Group and the UN Expert Group on Energy Statistics [IRES, Ch. III, para. 3.19, PDF p. 40, 2018].

0 Coal

Solid fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetal matter, and coal products derived directly or indirectly from the various classes of coal by carbonization or pyrolysis processes, by the aggregation of finely divided coal, or by chemical reactions with oxidizing agents, including water [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0, PDF p. 40, 2018].

Remark: There are two main categories of primary coal, hard coal (comprising medium- and high-rank coals) and brown coal (low-rank coals), distinguished by their Gross Calorific Value (GCV) and vitrinite mean random reflectance percentage (Rr). Peat is not included here [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0, PDF p. 40, 2018].

01 Hard coal

Coals with a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) not less than 24 MJ/kg, or less than 24 MJ/kg provided the coal has a vitrinite mean random reflectance greater than or equal to 0.6 per cent. Hard coal comprises anthracite and bituminous coals [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 01, PDF p. 40, 2018].

011 / 0110 Anthracite

A high-rank, hard coal with a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) greater than or equal to 24 MJ/kg and a vitrinite mean random reflectance greater than or equal to 2.0 per cent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0110, PDF p. 40, 2018].

Remark: Anthracite usually has less than 10 per cent volatile matter, a high carbon content (about 86–98 per cent carbon), and is non-agglomerating. It is mainly used for industrial and household heat raising [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0110, PDF p. 40, 2018].

012 Bituminous coal

A medium-rank hard coal with either a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) not less than 24 MJ/kg and a vitrinite mean random reflectance less than 2.0 per cent, or a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) less than 24 MJ/kg provided the vitrinite mean random reflectance is equal to or greater than 0.6 per cent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 012, PDF p. 40, 2018].

Remark: Bituminous coals are agglomerating and have higher volatile matter and lower carbon content than anthracite. They are used for industrial coking and heat raising, and household heat raising [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 012, PDF p. 40, 2018].

0121 Coking coal

Bituminous coal that can be used in the production of a coke capable of supporting a blast furnace charge [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0121, PDF p. 40, 2018].

0122 / 0129 Other bituminous coal

This class includes bituminous coal not included under coking coal [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0122, PDF p. 40, 2018].

Remark: Sometimes referred to as steam coal [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0122, PDF p. 40, 2018].

Editorial note (source discrepancy): the section D prose numbers this class 0122, while Table 3.1 numbers the same class (title “Other bituminous coal”, CPC 11010*, HS 2701.12) as 0129 [IRES, Ch. III, Table 3.1, PDF p. 37, 2018 vs. IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0122, PDF p. 40, 2018]. This is an inconsistency in the source document itself (confirmed against both raw/_pdftotext/ires/03-siec.txt and its -layout.txt companion), not a transcription error introduced in this wiki. The page-level confidence: field is left at high since the rest of the chapter is internally consistent; both codes are recorded here so either lookup path resolves, and readers relying on the numeric code for this one class specifically should treat it as unresolved pending clarification from the source.

02 Brown coal

Coals with a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) less than 24 MJ/kg and a vitrinite mean random reflectance less than 0.6 per cent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 02, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: Brown coal comprises sub-bituminous coal and lignite [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 02, PDF p. 41, 2018].

021 / 0210 Sub-bituminous coal

Brown coal with a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) equal to or greater than 20 MJ/kg but less than 24 MJ/kg [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0210, PDF p. 41, 2018].

022 / 0220 Lignite

Brown coal with a gross calorific value (moist, ash-free basis) less than 20 MJ/kg [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0220, PDF p. 41, 2018].

03 Coal products

Products derived directly or indirectly from the various classes of coal by carbonization or pyrolysis processes, by the aggregation of finely divided coal, or by chemical reactions with oxidizing agents, including water [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 03, PDF p. 41, 2018].

031 Coal coke

The solid, cellular, infusible material remaining after the carbonization of certain coals [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 031, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: Various cokes are defined according to the type of coal carbonized and their conditions of carbonization or use: coke oven coke, gas coke, coke breeze and semi cokes [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 031, PDF p. 41, 2018].

0311 Coke oven coke

The solid product obtained from carbonization of coking coal at high temperature [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0311, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: Low in moisture and volatile matter, with the mechanical strength to support a blast furnace charge. Used mainly in the iron and steel industry as a heat source and chemical agent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0311, PDF p. 41, 2018].

0312 Gas coke

A by-product from the carbonization of bituminous coal for the manufacture of gas works gas [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0312, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: Used mainly for heating purposes [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0312, PDF p. 41, 2018].

0313 Coke breeze

Particles of coke of sizes less than 10 mm [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0313, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: The residue from screening coke, which may be made from bituminous or brown coals [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0313, PDF p. 41, 2018].

0314 Semi cokes

Cokes produced by low temperature carbonization [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0314, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: May be made from bituminous and brown coals and are used as a heating fuel [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0314, PDF p. 41, 2018].

032 / 0320 Patent fuel

A composition fuel made by moulding hard coal fines into briquette shapes with the addition of a binding agent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0320, PDF p. 41, 2018].

Remark: Sometimes referred to as hard coal briquettes [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0320, PDF p. 41, 2018].

033 / 0330 Brown coal briquettes (BKB)

A composition fuel made of brown coal produced by briquetting under high pressure with or without the addition of a binding agent [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0330, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: Either sub-bituminous coal or lignite may be used, including dried lignite fines and dust [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0330, PDF p. 42, 2018].

034 / 0340 Coal tar

The liquid by-product of the carbonization of coal in coke ovens [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0340, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: May be separated by distillation into several liquid products that may be used for pharmaceutical or wood preservative purposes [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0340, PDF p. 42, 2018].

035 / 0350 Coke oven gas

A gas produced from coke ovens during the manufacture of coke oven coke [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0350, PDF p. 42, 2018].

036 / 0360 Gas works gas (and other manufactured gases for distribution)

Gases obtained from the carbonization or gasification of carbonaceous material of fossil or biomass origins in gas works, comprising: (a) gases obtained from carbonization or gasification of coals, cokes, biomass or waste; and (b) substitute natural gas (a methane-rich gas) made from synthesis gas [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0360, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: Synthesis gas is a mixture of mainly hydrogen and carbon monoxide obtained by cracking hydrocarbons with high temperature steam. The hydrocarbons may be taken from fossil fuels, biofuels or wastes [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0360, PDF p. 42, 2018].

037 Recovered gases

Combustible gases of solid carbonaceous origin recovered from manufacturing and chemical processes whose principal purpose is other than fuel production. Includes gases containing carbon monoxide resulting from the partial oxidation of (a) carbon present as coke acting as a reductant in the process, (b) carbon anodes, or (c) carbon dissolved in iron [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 037, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: May also be referred to as waste or off gases [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 037, PDF p. 42, 2018].

0371 Blast furnace gas

The by-product gas of blast furnace operation, consisting mainly of nitrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0371, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: Recovered as it leaves the furnace; its calorific value arises mainly from carbon monoxide produced by partial combustion of coke and other carbon-bearing products in the blast furnace. Used to heat blast air and as a fuel in the iron and steel industry, and may be used by other nearby industrial plants. Where carbonized biomass (e.g. charcoal or animal meal) is used in blast furnaces, part of the carbon supply may be considered renewable [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0371, PDF p. 42, 2018].

0372 Basic oxygen steel furnace gas

The by-product gas of steel production in a basic oxygen furnace, recovered as it leaves the furnace [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0372, PDF p. 42, 2018].

Remark: Higher carbon monoxide concentration than blast furnace gas. Also known as converter gas, LD gas or BOSF gas [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0372, PDF p. 42, 2018].

0373 Other recovered gases

Combustible gases of solid carbonaceous origin recovered from manufacturing and chemical processes not elsewhere defined [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0373, PDF p. 43, 2018].

Remark: Examples include fuel gas production from metals and chemicals processing — zinc, tin, lead, ferroalloys, phosphorus and silicon carbide [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0373, PDF p. 43, 2018].

039 / 0390 Other coal products

Coal products not elsewhere classified in section 0 [IRES, Ch. III, SIEC 0390, PDF p. 43, 2018].

Chapter VI’s reference list of data items collects coal production disaggregated by underground vs. surface mining method (data items 2.1.1–2.1.2) — see Data Items on Energy Flows and Stocks [IRES, Ch. VI, paras 6.41–6.44, PDF p. 92, 2018].

Related

• SIEC Classification System — SIEC’s scope rules, coding system and full Table 3.1 code list, of which this section is one entry
• Energy Products — the general energy-product definition and SIEC scope-precision rules this classification operationalizes
• Peat and Peat Products — the next SIEC fuel section; peat is explicitly excluded from the Coal section despite being a stage in coalification
• Data Items on Energy Flows and Stocks — the underground-vs-surface production data items