[Jim from C-Town]

We export Steam Coal. That is soft anthracite coal that is used in electricity generation. The kind of coal we have lots of and we are no longer allowed to burn. We also export metallurgical coal. That is the type of coal called bituminous coal that is burned in order to make coke in coking ovens. Coke is an absolute necessity for making steel and iron.

We used to make lots of steel & iron here. The integrated mill become uncompetitive when China started first dumping steel in the 80’s. Then they actually became MVNS Most Favored Nation Status so they didn't even have to hide the dumping, they did it with the blessing of the Clinton administration.

Greedy unions and job killing bureaucrats, particularly EPA types, helped to nail the coffin lid shut on Americas steel industry.

[crosdaddy]

Well,Bushido did put tariffs on imported steel for a while,and a few of them
upgraded their operations,ie cotinous cast. Lot of old mills at the time, screwed me,I didn’t have a president protecting my business.