The US Department of Energy (DOE) lists coking coal as a critical material

According to the Mining Journal, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has included metallurgical coal (coking coal) used in steel production on its list of critical materials.

The DOE stated, "Achieving the policy goal of US steel dominance requires a significant increase in domestic coking coal production and use, thus supporting the decision to include coking coal on the DOE's list of critical materials."

However, coking coal is not listed on the US Geological Survey's (USGS) list of critical minerals. The DOE's list includes critical materials for energy purposes, finalised by the Secretary of Energy, while the list of critical minerals is determined through research commissioned by the Secretary of the Interior from the USGS.

A Forgotten Industry

Including coking coal on the DOE's list of critical materials aligns with US President Trump's goal of revitalising the country's coal industry. On April 8, Trump signed several executive orders, including Executive Order 14261 titled "Revitalising America's Beautiful and Clean Coal Industry."

In his executive order, Trump requested the Secretary of Energy to determine whether coking coal meets the definitions of critical materials or critical minerals. Additionally, he considered coal a "mineral," removed obstacles to coal mining, lowered emissions standards for coal-fired power plants, and expedited coal mining leases on federal lands.

"We will bring back a forgotten industry," Trump said in April as he signed the executive order surrounded by coal miners.

"Coking coal is not just a fuel—it is the cornerstone of our industry," US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on the 23rd. "By designating coking coal as a critical material, we will ensure that the steel industry, powered by US coal, remains the backbone of manufacturing."

Berenberg noted that this classification typically means that the government considers the material "strategically important for national security and economic competitiveness," and may introduce "supportive policies for domestic production and supply chain security of this specialised coal required for steel production."

Rich Nolan, President of the National Mining Association, stated that steel is "the foundation of our modern infrastructure."

"Given its importance as the raw material for 70% of the world's steel production, the EU listed coking coal as a critical material a decade ago," Nolan said. "This is a common-sense, long-overdue measure to align the US with other countries."

"This not only strengthens the country's industrial base but also reflects this administration's recognition of the importance of the national coal industry and industry as a whole."

Steel Still Not Listed

Despite the recognition of coal's significance to the US steel manufacturing industry, steel itself is not listed on the critical materials list, with only electrical steel being included. The same is true for iron ore, a key raw material for steelmaking.

A few days ago, Bronwyn Barnes, CEO of Ivanhoe Atlantic, called for iron ore to be included in the US list of critical minerals, given its extreme importance in steelmaking.

"It is a shortcoming that high-grade iron ore has not been included in the list of critical mineral supplies," Barnes said.