The following classification of coal by size is used in Russia (GOST 19242-73)
| Class Name |
Designation |
Lump Size, mm |
| Lump |
П |
100-200 (300) |
| Cobbles |
К |
50-100 |
| Nut |
О |
25-50 |
| Pea |
М |
13-25 |
| Bird’s eye |
С |
6-13 |
| Culm |
Ш |
0-6 |
| ROM |
Р |
0-200 (300) |
The classes are allowed with a replacement of respectively the upper and lower size limits of 100 mm to 80 mm, 50 mm to 40 mm, 25 mm to 20 mm, 13 mm to 10 mm, and 6 mm to 5 (8) mm, as well as combined classes ПК, КО, ОМ, МС providing the ratio between the upper and lower limit of no more than 1:4 and classes ОМСШ, МСШ и СШ.
The upper limit of 300 mm for Lump and ROM coals applies only to enterprises with open-cut mining. Certain classes by chunk size and content of fines and chunks with the upper limit dimensions should be set by standards for technical requirements on the types of consumption.
| Brand Type |
Brand |
Genetic Type |
| Name |
Mark |
Name |
Mark |
Name |
Mark |
| Long-flame |
Д |
Long-flame |
Д |
Long-flame Vitrinite |
ДВ |
| Long-flame Fusinite |
ДФ |
| Long-flame Gas |
ДГ |
Long-flame Gas Vitrinite |
ДГВ |
| Long-flame Gas Fusinite |
ДГФ |
| Gas |
Г |
Gas |
Г |
Gas Vitrinite |
ГВ |
| Gas Fusinite |
ГФ |
| Gas Coking |
ГС |
-- |
-- |
| -- |
-- |
| Gas Fat Lean |
ГЖО |
Gas Fat Low-coking |
ГЖС |
Gas Fat Low-coking Vitrinite |
ГЖСВ |
| Gas Fat Lean Fusinite |
ГЖОФ |
| Gas Fat Lean |
ГЖО |
-- |
-- |
| -- |
-- |
| Fat |
Ж |
Gas Fat |
ГЖ |
-- |
-- |
| -- |
-- |
| Fat |
Ж |
-- |
-- |
| -- |
-- |
| Fat Second |
ЖВ |
Fat Second Vitrinite |
ЖВВ |
| Fat Second Fusinite |
ЖВФ |
| Coking Fat |
КЖ |
-- |
-- |
| -- |
-- |
| Coking |
К |
Coking |
К |
Coking Vitrinite |
КВ |
| Coking Fusinite |
КФ |
| Lean Coking |
ОК |
Lean Coking |
ОК |
Lean Coking Vitrinite |
ОКВ |
| Lean Coking Fusinite |
ОКФ |
| Lean Coking |
ОС |
Lean Coking Vitrinite |
ОСВ |
| Lean Coking Fusinite |
ОСФ |
| Coking Low-coking |
КC |
Coking Low-coking |
КC |
Coking Low-coking Vitrinite |
КСВ |
| Coking Low-coking Fusinite |
КСФ |
| Coking Low-coking Low-metamorphosed |
КСН |
Coking Low-coking Low-metamorphosed Vitrinite |
КСНВ |
| Coking Low-coking Low-metamorphosed Fusinite |
КСНФ |
| Low-coking |
CC |
Low-coking |
CC |
Low-coking Low-metamorphosed Vitrinite |
ССНВ |
| Low-coking Low-metamorphosed Fusinite |
ССНФ |
| Low-coking Fusinite |
ССФ |
| Green |
Т |
Green Coking |
ТС |
Green Coking Vitrinite |
ТСВ |
| Green Coking Fusinite |
ТСФ |
| Green |
Т |
Green Vitrinite |
ТВ |
| Green Fusinite |
ТФ |
Brand Т (Green)
Green coal is characterized by the yield of volatile substances from 8 up to 15.9% with the vitrinite reflectance value from 1.3 up to 2.59%; no coking.
Used mainly in power industry and in the domestic household; can be used for carbon fillers obtaining in electrode manufacture providing the low ash content.
Brand Б (Brown)
Brown coal is characterized by a low vitrinite reflectance value (less than 0.6%) and high yield of volatile substances (more than 45%).
Brown coal is divided to the technological groups depending on the humidity: 1Б (humidity above 40%), 2Б (30-40%), 3Б (up to 30%).
Brown coal of Kansk-Achinsk coal basin is mainly of 2Б group and partly of 3Б group (vitrinite reflectance value 0.27-0.46%), brown coal of Moscow basin belongs to the 2Б group, and coal of Pavlovsky and Bikinsky fields (Primorsky region) belongs to the 1Б group.
Brown coal is used as energy fuel and chemical raw materials.
Brand Д (Long-flame)
Long-flame coal has a vitrinite reflectance value from 0.4 up to 0.79% with the yield of volatile substances more than 28-30%, with powder or low-coking non-volatile residue.
Long-flame coal is not coking and belongs to the energy coals. Areas of use of this coal - energy and domestic household fuel, so its most important characteristic is the heat of combustion. Upon transition to the next ДГ brand the calorific capacity of coal increases substantially.
Studies have shown that long-flame coal with low ash content can serve as a good raw material for the production of synthetic liquid fuel and chemical products, formed coke and spherical absorbents manufacture, and low-temperature (up to 700 degrees) coking.
Brand ДГ (Long-flame Gas)
Long-flame gas coal has a vitrinite reflectance value from 0.4 up to 0.79% with the yield of volatile substances more than 28-30%, with powder or low-coking non-volatile residue. This coal is an intermediate coal between the coal of Д and Г marks. It differs from long-flame coal with the ability of coking (thickness of plastic layer 6-9 mm) and from the gas coal with the similar coking – with the less fragility and high mechanical strength. The latter provides a prevalence of large-middle classes among such coal.
Coal of ДГ brand also belongs to the power station coal group. It has a little use for the coke charge, because the coke formed has a low mechanical strength and increased reactivity.
Brand Г (Gas)
Gas coal has two technology groups. Vitrinite coal (vitrinite reflectance value from 0.5 up to 0.89%) with the yield of volatile substances of 38% and more, with thickness of the plastic layer from 10 to 12 mm forms the 1Г group and vitrinite and inertinite coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.8 - 0.99%, yield of volatile substances of 30% and more and a thickness of plastic layer from 13 to 16 mm forms the 2Г group.
The humidity of the gas coal usually does not exceed 10%, ash content ranges from 7 to 35%, with prevalence of ash content of 10-15%.
Gas coal is used mainly as energy and domestic household fuel.
Coal of the 2Г brand with a thickness of plastic layer over 13 mm is sent for coking. Limited ability of gas coal usage in furnace charges of coking plants producing metallurgical coke is due to the fact that the gas coal is responsible for formation of micro-cracks in coke during the laminar coking, thus significantly reducing its strength.
Gas coal with a thickness of plastic layer of 8-12 mm is used for the production of molded coke and spherical absorbents and coal with a thickness of plastic layer less than 8 mm - for gasification and semi-coking. Vitrinite low-ash coal of Г brand with the yield of volatile substances more than 42% is a good raw material for the production of synthetic liquid fuel.
Brand ГЖО (Gas Fat Lean)
Gas fat lean coal occupies an intermediate position between the coals of Г and ГЖ brands, according to the values of the yield of volatile substances and the thickness of the plastic layer.
There are two technology groups. Coal with a vitrinite reflectance value less than 0.8% and the yield of volatile substances less than 38%, with a thickness of plastic layer ranged from 10 to 16 mm belongs to the 1ГЖО technology group. Coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.80 -0.99%, yield of volatile substances less than 38%, with a thickness of plastic layer of 10-13 mm, as well as coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.80 -0.89%, with the yield of volatile substances of 36% and more, with the thickness of plastic layer of 14-16 mm belongs to the 2ГЖО group.
ГЖО brand humidity ranges between 6-8%, ash content – 6-40%. Carbon content varies between 78-85%, hydrogen - from 4.8 to 6.0%, sulfur - 0.2 -0.8%.
Coal of ГЖО brand is characterized by a wide variation of properties that does not allow recommending any single direction for its use.
Coal of 1ГЖО group with thickness of plastic layer less than 13 mm can compose no more than 20% of coking plants furnace charges and only on condition that the rest part of the charge contains strongly coking coals with a vitrinite reflectance value from 1 to 1.5%.
Coal of 2ГЖО group is a good raw material for coking (especially with a vitrinite reflectance value of not less than 0.85%) and may occupy more than s half of the charge.
Fusinite coal of 1ГЖО group (subgroup 1ГЖОФ) is totally unsuitable for the production of metallurgical coke and can be used in domestic household (large classes) or energy (small classes) sectors.
Brand ГЖ (Gas Fat)
Gas fat coal occupies an intermediate position between Г and Ж coal brands and is divided into two groups.
Group 1ГЖ combines coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.5-0.79%, yield of volatile substances of 38% and more and with a thickness of plastic layer of more than 16 mm.
Group 2ГЖ combines coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.8-0.99%, yield of volatile substances of 36% and more and with a thickness of plastic layer of 17-25 mm.
ГЖ brand differs from gas coal with higher coking, and from Ж brand coal - with higher yield of volatile substances.
Coal of ГЖ brand is mainly used in coking industry and falls under the coal brands group, particularly valuable for coking. In most cases is can completely replace the fat coal in coke plants furnace charges.
Concentrates of ГЖ brand coal with ash content of less than 2% are appropriate to use as binders in the production of electrode and carbon-graphite products; coal of ГЖ brand is also suitable for synthetic liquid fuel production.
Brand Ж (Fat)
Fat coal is subdivided into two groups. The first group (1Ж) includes coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.8-1.19%, yield of volatile substances of 28-35,9% and a thickness of plastic layer of 14-17 mm. The second group (2Ж) includes coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.8-0.99%, yield of volatile substances of 36% and more and with a thickness of plastic layer of 26 mm and more. This group also includes coal with the same vitrinite reflectance values, but with the yield of volatile substances from 30 to 36%, with thickness of plastic layer of 18 mm and more. Also, 2Ж group includes coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 1-1,19%, with the yield of volatile substances of no less than 30%, with a thickness of the plastic layer of not less than 18 mm.
Ж brand coal is especially valuable coking coal and mainly used in the coking industry, occupying from 20 to 70% of coke charges. Coke produced from the Ж brand coal has a high structural strength.
Brand КЖ (Coking Fat)
Coking fat coal stands out as a coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 0.9-1.29%, thickness of plastic layer of 18 mm and with the yield of volatile substances of 25-30%.
The main consumer of КЖ brand coal is the coking industry. Of all brands of coal used to produce coke, it has the highest coking. High-quality metallurgical coke is produced from it without mixing with other brands of coal. In addition, it is able to adopt up to 20% of additive coals of brands КО, КС, and ОС without changing the qualities of the coke.
Currently, coal of this brand is not mined.
Brand К (Coking)
Coking coal has a vitrinite reflectance value from 1 up to 1.29%, as well as a good coking. The thickness of the plastic layer is 13-17 mm for coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 1.0-1.29%, and 13 mm and higher for coal with a vitrinite reflectance value of 1.3-1.69%. The yield of volatile substances is within 24-24,9%.
Production of certified metallurgical coke is provided without mixing it with coals of other brands. The quality of the coke can grow significantly when mixing К brand coal with 20-40% of the coal of brands Ж, ГЖ, and КЖ.
Brand КО (Coking Lean)
Coking lean coal is the coal with the yield of volatile substances close to the coking coals, but with a lesser thickness of plastic layer - 10-12 mm. The vitrinite reflectance value - 0.8-0.99%.
Coal of КО brand is primarily used for the production of metallurgical coke as one of the additive coals to the coals of ГЖ and Ж brands.
Brand А (anthracite)
Anthracites combine coals with a vitrinite reflectance value of more than 2.59%. With the yield of volatile substances of less than 8%, the coals with the vitrinite reflectance value from 2.2 to 2.59% are also belong to anthracites.
The main amount of anthracites is used for energy purposes. Medium and large classes of anthracites serve as a smokeless fuel in the domestic household sector.
Part of anthracites is directed to the production of thermoanthracite, which in turn is used as the main carbonic ingredient during the manufacturing of cathode blocks for electrolytic cells in the aluminum industry. Anthracites are also used for the production of silicon carbide and aluminum carbide.
Brand КСН (Coking Low-coking Low-metamorphosed)
Coking low-coking low-metamorphosed coal has a vitrinite reflectance value from 0.8 up to 1.09%. During coking, without mixing with other coals it produces coke with little mechanical strength that can wear out very heavily.
Used both in the coking industry and in the energy sector and domestic household. Coal of the КСН brand can also be used for synthetic gas production.
Brand КС (Coking Low-coking)
Coking Low-coking coal is characterized with low coking (thickness of the plastic layer is 6-9 mm with a vitrinite reflectance value of 1.1-1.69%.
КС brand coal is used mainly in coking industry as a leaning component. Part of the coal is used for grate firing in industrial boiler-houses and in the domestic household.
Brand ОС (Lean Coking)
Lean Coking coal has a vitrinite reflectance value from 1.3 up to 1.8% and a yield of volatile substances not exceeding 21.9%. The thickness of the plastic layer for the 2ОС group is 6-7 mm, and for the 1ОС group - 9-12 mm for vitrinite and 10-12 mm for fusinite content.
Humidity of the extracted ОС brand coal does not exceed 8-10%. Ash content ranges from 7 to 40%. Sulfur content does not exceed 0.6% in the Kuznetsk basin, and in the Karaganda basin sometimes reaches 1.2%, and in Donbass basin - 1.2-4.0%. The carbon content is 88-91%, hydrogen - 4.2-5%.
The main consumer of the ОС brand coal is coking industry; this coal is one of the best leaning components in coke charges. Some coals of the ОС brand produce a high-quality metallurgical coke even without mixing them with coals of other brands; but during coking they develop a high bloating pressure against the walls of the coke furnaces, and thus a coke is very hardly produced in these furnaces, which leads to a rapid shutting-down of furnaces. So the coal of the ОС brand is usually coking mixed with coal of the Г and ГЖ brands that possess a high degree of shrinkage.
Brand ТС (Green Low-coking)
Green low-coking coal is characterized by the yield of volatile substances of less than 22% and a very low coking (thickness of plastic layer is less than 6 mm).
Humidity of the extracted ТС brand coal is low - 4-6%. Ash content is within the range of 6-45%. Carbon content is 89-91%, hydrogen content is 4.0-4.8%. Sulfur content in Kuzbass coal is 0.3-0.5%, Donbass - 0.8-4.5%.
ТС brand coal is used in coking industry, but mainly in the energy sector; large-middle classes of coals of this brand are a good smokeless fuel for small boiler-houses and individual domestic use.
Brand СС (Low-coking)
Low-coking coal is characterized with a vitrinite reflectance value within a range of 0.7-1.79%, thickness of the plastic layer of less than 6 mm and the yield of volatile substances typical for good coking coals of Ж, КЖ, К, КС, and ОС brands.
Humidity of the extracted coal reaches 8-9%. Ash content ranges from 8 to 45%. Sulfur content is typically less than 0.8%. Carbon content ranges from 74 to 90%, hydrogen content - from 4.0 to 5.0%.
Mainly used at large power plants, industrial boilers and in the domestic household sector. Certain types of coals of СС brand are used in coking plants furnace charges in a limited number.
Brand Т (Green)
Green coal is characterized with the yield of volatile substances from 8 up to 15.9%, with the vitrinite reflectance value from 1.3 up to 2.59%; no coking.
Used mainly in power industry and in the domestic household; it can be used for production of carbon fillers in electrode manufacturing providing the low ash content.
Rate of natural loss during:
1) coal transportation:
- for up to 750 km – 0.6% of weight;
- 751-1500 km – 0.7% of weight;
- more than 1500 km – 0.8% of weight.
2) coal transportation:
- at the port wagon/vessel – 0.85% of weight;
- from wagon to wagon – 0.80% of weight.
3) coke transportation:
4) coke transportation:
- at the port wagon/vessel – 1.0% of weight;
- from wagon to wagon – 0.8% of weight.
