China's June coal imports surge 98% on year to 27.19 mil mt
Singapore (Platts)--23Jul2012/557 am EDT/957 GMT
China's imports of coal in June jumped by 98% year-on-year to 27.19 million mt, China Customs data released over the weekend showed.
The country imported 8.55 million mt of thermal coal in June (excluding lignite), rocked by 154% from last June; coking coal 6.49 million mt, up 94%; and anthracite 3.28 million mt, down 13%. Lignite accounted for 4.66 million mt of the total in June, while other types of coal products made up the balance 4.21 million mt. China customs had not given lignite figure in June 2011.
In the first half months of 2012, China imported a total of 139.85 million mt of coal, up 66% year-on-year.
Of the total, thermal coal took 43.6 million mt, up 175% year-on-year; coking coal 27.64 million mt, up 44%; lignite 26.87 million mt, up 90% and anthracite 18.97 million mt, up 12%.
China exported 470,000 mt of coal in June, down 34% year-on-year, and 5.77 million mt over January-June, down 18% from the same period of 2011.
