An interest has been shown by the world’s two leading steel companies Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal and India’s Tata Steel, in mining coal in partnership with Coal India Ltd from the latter’s 18 forsaken underground mines with the aim to secure reserves of coking coal, a key input needed to make steel.
In less than six months, the price of the coking coal in international market has more than doubled to $300-350 per tonne, and this has motivated the steelmakers worldwide to scout for reserves across the globe.