The Canadian Carbonization Research Association (CCRA) was formed on September 2, 1965 with the adoption of a Constitution by the Canadian Steel and Coal industries, as a mechanism to promote and establish carbonization research in Canada. Representatives of the major cokemaking steel producers, an independent coke producer, major metallurgical coal miners, coal tar users and the Federal Government Department involved with these Industries were at the table.
The Association’s original members were Algoma Steel Corporation, Canmore Mines Ltd, Crows Nest Industries, Dominion Foundries and Steel Limited, Dominion Tar & Chemicals Ltd, Dosco Steel Ltd, The Steel Company of Canada Ltd and The Mines Branch of Energy, Mines and Resources (EMR).
CCRA is a unique co-operative Research and Development effort between Industry and Government, which has became a model for many other industry/government R&D joint efforts. CCRA members and CANMET have a consensus based program that has and continues to meet its members needs over many fruitful years. Numerous members have also done and continue to perform many confidential test programs at CANMET to meet their needs directly.
Over the years, CCRA and CANMET have carried out many R&D programs to improve the metallurgical coal and cokemaking operations of its members. Many of these have had far reaching effects which have been well documented in studies carried out by consultants for the government showing the economic effects of the Joint R&D Program (NRCan Audit and Evaluation Branch report, 2001 and PricewaterhouseCoopers report, 2015). The benefits to Canadian industry have been substantial, however, it could not have taken place without the joint efforts of CANMET and CCRA. Having a laboratory to conduct carbonization research is beyond the feasibility of any one company so the single shared Canadian laboratory at Bells Corners in Ottawa, Ontario has allowed the continuation of R&D in this field in Canada.
The fields of R&D covered by the joint CCRA/CANMET program include energy and fuel conservation and efficiency, stabilization of supply, GHG reduction, mining, processing, transportation, production of iron, environment, and safety. At any specific time the R&D program places priority on the most pressing problems while not ignoring the longer term work necessary to progress in the future.