Expanded Use of Australian Steaming Coal and It's Problems for Japanes Users

Abstract

In anticipation for an increasing demand for Japan's steaming coal, Australian coal resources are very attractive for Japanese coal end-users because they are abundantly endowed, situated in better mining conditions and located in a closer proximity to Japan.
In Australia, coal has been produced mainly from the state of New South Wales in the south, but a large scale steaming coal production will be invitable to shift to the state of Queensland in the north, mainly due to Queensland's abundant endowment of coal, better mining conditions and advantageous transportation capability (especially coal export facilities).
Speaking of development of coal resources in Queensland, it is necessary for sponsoring companies to undertake all coal chains from exploration of coal to construction of infrastruc-tures as a package on their own.To ensure economic profitability, it is needless to say that economy of scale must be excercised and that accordingly the corresponding large market is a key factor for coal projects to become feasible.
And speaking of technical problems of coal specification from Queensland, it is needed for us to develop technology to burn such lower quality coals as low volatile, low caloric: value, higher ash content and lower grindability.