China's four major coal-consuming sectors used a combined 2.45 billion mt of coal in the first three quarters of 2012, up 2.5% year on year, according to a Friday report by Beijing-based Dexin Yongming Consultation, citing figures from the China National Coal Association.
The meager year-on-year growth rate of 2.5% has signaled that China's national coal demand has yet to recover and domestic coal prices have continued to face some downward pressure, the report said.
The electric power sector consumed 1.47 billion mt of coal, up 1% year on year; the steelmaking sector accounted for 450 million mt of coal, up 3% year on year; the construction materials sector consumed 390 million mt of coal, up 6% year on year; and the chemicals sector consumed 140 million mt of coal, up 6.5% year on year.
China's national coal consumption totaled 3.02 billion mt over January-September, up 2.8% year on year, the report said. Of the total, the four main sectors represent 81.1% of consumption. China produced 2.88 billion mt of coal over the same period, up 3.6% year on year.
