11. The German Creek Formation lies within the Bowen Basin and is noted for containing hard coking coal of exceptionally high quality. 12. Lill said the reduced contract volume reflected the lower ratio of hard coking coals being used by the Japanese mills for steel production. 13. The mine currently produces around 1.5 million saleable tonnes ( 1.65 million tons ) of hard coking and semi-hard coking coal per year. 14. The mine currently produces around 1.5 million saleable tonnes ( 1.65 million tons ) of hard coking and semi-hard coking coal per year. 15. Hard coking coal is used to make lump coke which, along with iron ore, is fed into blast furnaces to produce pig iron.16. BHP said the new prices would apply to the delivery of 5 million metric tons of hard coking coal to the Japanese steel mills. 17. Modest price increases have been achieved at the premium end of the hard coking coal market, while prices for lower quality coals have decreased, 18. Lill said the reduced contract volume reflected the lower ration of hard coking coals being used by the Japanese steel mills in blast furnaces. 19. "However, in practice, deliveries of hard coking coal in 1996 / 97 should be similar to those in the current year, " he said. 20. The new tonnages represent a 10 percent increase for deliveries of hard coking coal and a 17 percent increase in weak coking coal tonnages.
