Demand for coal as well as prices for coal are inching higher and giving the coal industry a positive sign that there will be a rebound from last year's recession. Reuters reported that Kevin Crutchfield, chief executive of Alpha Natural Resources, told the Macquarie Group's metal and mining conference that demand from steelmakers for metallurgical, or coking coal, was rebounding quicker, especially in Asia. But it would probably take another year for thermal, or steam coal used in power generation, to return to the levels before last year's economic downturn.
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