Monday, 06 Feb 2012
Reuters reported that heavy rains shut four coal mines in eastern Australia on Friday as military helicopters evacuated stranded residents from inundated towns and authorities warned of further flash flooding.
Emergency services authorities said that more than 11,000 people in Queensland state have been isolated by the flooding and thousands had been evacuated.
Whitehaven Coal said it had shut four mines due to heavy rainfall, but the mines were not flooded and no equipment had been damaged. Other miners and liquefied natural gas producers reported their operations had so far not been affected.
The Queensland Resources Council said many of the state's mines were still carrying water from last year's wet season and it was monitoring mining areas.
A spokeswoman for Xstrata, the world's largest thermal coal exporter, which has mines in both New South Wales and Queensland, said it was not aware of any impact due to the wet weather. In the northwestern district of Queensland, Xstrata said it had resumed operations at its Ernest Henry copper mine following a short suspension last week to ensure the safety of staff.
Another coal major, Rio Tinto, said it would not comment on production.
The Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rains were likely to add to already overflowing rivers and warned of localised flash flooding. It cancelled a severe weather warning for parts of New South Wales.
The 2011 floods also damaged crops and inundated coal mines, pushing up prices for coal. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter and accounts for roughly two-thirds of global trade of coking coal, used for steel production.
(Sourced from Reuters)
Showing posts with label Queensland coal mines operation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queensland coal mines operation. Show all posts
Monday, February 6, 2012
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Coal workers start work stoppage as part of campaign against BHPB
Saturday, 30 Jul 2011
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union said that Australian union coal workers at the Norwich Park mine in Queensland state has started a 36 hour work stoppage as part of an ongoing labor campaign against BHP Billiton.
Mr Stephen Smyth Queensland division president of the CFMEU said that twelve hour rolling stoppages will also be held at the Gregory and Crinum mines on July 31st 2011 and August 1st 2011, as union workers press for job security. The mines are among six operated by a JV of BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi with a combined output capacity of more than 58 million tonnes per year of mostly metallurgical coal used to make steel.
Mr Smyth said that output from the mines accounts for about a fifth of annual global trade in metallurgical coal. He added that "We're now looking at escalating these actions to include more mines to press BHP over our concerns."
Union workers at the six coal mines operated by BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi have been staging protests over the past three months against rising non union staff jobs.
Mr Smyth said that "Ultimately, our intention is to disrupt production at the mines in order to pressure BHP."
A BHP Billiton spokeswoman declined to comment on any impact the actions may be having on production, saying any significant disruptions would be cited in the company's end of quarter operations review. The campaign has been helping underpin global coal prices, already firm on restricted supply from Australia due to widespread flooding of coal fields earlier this year.
The price of metallurgical coal used in steel production hit a record high USD 330 a tonne in the second quarter while thermal coal prices remained stable and have since only showed only a modest retreat, according to coal traders. The Norwich Park mine yields coking coal used in producing steel and is exported to Asia and Europe at a rate of about 4 million tonnes a year.
The Gregory and Crinum mines together yield around 5 million tonnes of both coking and thermal coals, also for sale in Asia and Europe. The CFMEU represents the majority of the 3,500 union workers at the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi mines, which is about one third of the total workforce.
Analysts have said the campaign contributed to a 28% decline in BHP Billiton's June 2011 quarter metallurgical coal production to 7.9 million tonnes from a year earlier, though flooding had a greater impact. Floods in Queensland between November and March crippled coal output from Australia, which provides two thirds of global exports of steel making coal, and contributed to the Australian economy's biggest decline in two decades in the first quarter. Coal miners had hoped operations would be back to normal by now, but the flooding of coal pits and damage to rail lines and ports proved worse than originally feared.
By Reuters
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union said that Australian union coal workers at the Norwich Park mine in Queensland state has started a 36 hour work stoppage as part of an ongoing labor campaign against BHP Billiton.
Mr Stephen Smyth Queensland division president of the CFMEU said that twelve hour rolling stoppages will also be held at the Gregory and Crinum mines on July 31st 2011 and August 1st 2011, as union workers press for job security. The mines are among six operated by a JV of BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi with a combined output capacity of more than 58 million tonnes per year of mostly metallurgical coal used to make steel.
Mr Smyth said that output from the mines accounts for about a fifth of annual global trade in metallurgical coal. He added that "We're now looking at escalating these actions to include more mines to press BHP over our concerns."
Union workers at the six coal mines operated by BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi have been staging protests over the past three months against rising non union staff jobs.
Mr Smyth said that "Ultimately, our intention is to disrupt production at the mines in order to pressure BHP."
A BHP Billiton spokeswoman declined to comment on any impact the actions may be having on production, saying any significant disruptions would be cited in the company's end of quarter operations review. The campaign has been helping underpin global coal prices, already firm on restricted supply from Australia due to widespread flooding of coal fields earlier this year.
The price of metallurgical coal used in steel production hit a record high USD 330 a tonne in the second quarter while thermal coal prices remained stable and have since only showed only a modest retreat, according to coal traders. The Norwich Park mine yields coking coal used in producing steel and is exported to Asia and Europe at a rate of about 4 million tonnes a year.
The Gregory and Crinum mines together yield around 5 million tonnes of both coking and thermal coals, also for sale in Asia and Europe. The CFMEU represents the majority of the 3,500 union workers at the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi mines, which is about one third of the total workforce.
Analysts have said the campaign contributed to a 28% decline in BHP Billiton's June 2011 quarter metallurgical coal production to 7.9 million tonnes from a year earlier, though flooding had a greater impact. Floods in Queensland between November and March crippled coal output from Australia, which provides two thirds of global exports of steel making coal, and contributed to the Australian economy's biggest decline in two decades in the first quarter. Coal miners had hoped operations would be back to normal by now, but the flooding of coal pits and damage to rail lines and ports proved worse than originally feared.
By Reuters
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Peabody upbeat on Macarthur Coal bid
By Sarah-Jane Tasker, The Australian
US coal giant Peabody Energy is confident of securing control of Macarthur Coal and further expanding its Australian operations, which have significantly boosted its quarterly earnings on the back of higher prices.
Chairman and chief executive, Greg Boyce, discussing the company's second-quarter results yesterday, said partnering with Macarthur's 16-per cent shareholder, ArcelorMittal, in the $4.7 billion bid for Macarthur, increased the chances of the offer succeeding.
"It bolsters our chances very significantly of being very successful on this bid," Mr Boyce told Wall Street analysts.
"We only need to get 50 per cent of the shareholders to take control of Macarthur and we start with 16 per cent, meaning we really have to get another 34 per cent, which is about 60 per cent of the free float that is available. So it is a strong partnership for us."
Peabody president Richard Navarre said the company hoped to complete due diligence on the Queensland coal target in the next week and a half.
"We started site visits this week. We have moved on from there," he said.
Peabody's move on Macarthur came the day after Julia Gillard announced the details of the controversial carbon tax, adding weight to the government's argument the proposal would not dent investment in the coal sector.
Mr Boyce said the energy giant's offer for Macarthur had already factored in the carbon tax and the minerals resources rent tax (MRRT).
"We have incorporated forward views of carbon pricing, as well as the MRRT, in terms of where we're at with Macarthur. So our due diligence that we're doing now is on the operating and business context, not the impacts of those (taxes)," Mr Boyce said.
However, he went on to say that he remained " very strongly opposed to the carbon tax".
"We don't think it's the right policy framework to move forward with. But in terms of specific numbers, it's too early to really come out with any modelled impacts on a specific basis."
Peabody announced strong quarterly results. Second-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were up 32 per cent from the previous year to $US579.5 million ($539.5m), while revenue jumped 21 per cent to $US2 billion.
Executive vice-president Mike Crews said Australia had led the way with a 69 per cent increase in EBITDA. The company also said its Australian operations contributed more than 60 per cent of Peabody's mining EBITDA in the second quarter.
Mr Navarre said historic prices for coal were being supported by supply constraints, some of which had been caused by the severe flooding in Queensland's coal regions earlier this year.
US coal giant Peabody Energy is confident of securing control of Macarthur Coal and further expanding its Australian operations, which have significantly boosted its quarterly earnings on the back of higher prices.
Chairman and chief executive, Greg Boyce, discussing the company's second-quarter results yesterday, said partnering with Macarthur's 16-per cent shareholder, ArcelorMittal, in the $4.7 billion bid for Macarthur, increased the chances of the offer succeeding.
"It bolsters our chances very significantly of being very successful on this bid," Mr Boyce told Wall Street analysts.
"We only need to get 50 per cent of the shareholders to take control of Macarthur and we start with 16 per cent, meaning we really have to get another 34 per cent, which is about 60 per cent of the free float that is available. So it is a strong partnership for us."
Peabody president Richard Navarre said the company hoped to complete due diligence on the Queensland coal target in the next week and a half.
"We started site visits this week. We have moved on from there," he said.
Peabody's move on Macarthur came the day after Julia Gillard announced the details of the controversial carbon tax, adding weight to the government's argument the proposal would not dent investment in the coal sector.
Mr Boyce said the energy giant's offer for Macarthur had already factored in the carbon tax and the minerals resources rent tax (MRRT).
"We have incorporated forward views of carbon pricing, as well as the MRRT, in terms of where we're at with Macarthur. So our due diligence that we're doing now is on the operating and business context, not the impacts of those (taxes)," Mr Boyce said.
However, he went on to say that he remained " very strongly opposed to the carbon tax".
"We don't think it's the right policy framework to move forward with. But in terms of specific numbers, it's too early to really come out with any modelled impacts on a specific basis."
Peabody announced strong quarterly results. Second-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were up 32 per cent from the previous year to $US579.5 million ($539.5m), while revenue jumped 21 per cent to $US2 billion.
Executive vice-president Mike Crews said Australia had led the way with a 69 per cent increase in EBITDA. The company also said its Australian operations contributed more than 60 per cent of Peabody's mining EBITDA in the second quarter.
Mr Navarre said historic prices for coal were being supported by supply constraints, some of which had been caused by the severe flooding in Queensland's coal regions earlier this year.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Rio Tinto lifts force majeure at Australian coal mine
Friday, 27 May 2011
Rio Tinto PLC has now lifted force majeure on sales of coal from the last of its Australian coal mines after recovering from flooding early in the year.
A spokesman for the company said that the clause, which releases a company from supply obligations due to circumstances beyond its control, was lifted at the London based company's Hail Creek mine in central Queensland state on May 12.
The spokesman said that force majeure was declared at Rio Tinto's four Queensland coking coal mines in late December following monsoon rains and lifted at three mines in February and March.
Hail Creek mine, located 90 kilometers southwest of Mackay, supplies steel mills in Asia and Europe. Rio Tinto has previously said hard coking coal production fell to 1.63 million metric tonnes in the first three months of the year, down 29% on the previous quarter and 12% on the same period a year earlier. (sourced Dow Jones)
A spokesman for the company said that the clause, which releases a company from supply obligations due to circumstances beyond its control, was lifted at the London based company's Hail Creek mine in central Queensland state on May 12.
The spokesman said that force majeure was declared at Rio Tinto's four Queensland coking coal mines in late December following monsoon rains and lifted at three mines in February and March.
Hail Creek mine, located 90 kilometers southwest of Mackay, supplies steel mills in Asia and Europe. Rio Tinto has previously said hard coking coal production fell to 1.63 million metric tonnes in the first three months of the year, down 29% on the previous quarter and 12% on the same period a year earlier. (sourced Dow Jones)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Fears for industry recovery as 75% of Queensland coal mines still pumping rainwater
Mar03, 2011
Perth, Australia(Platts) - Three-quarters of Queensland, Australia's coal mines are still pumping rainwater from their open-cut pits and coal producers are growing concerned at the effect more forecast rainfall could have on the industry's recovery, coal industry body the Queensland Resources Council said Thursday.
"Three-out-of-four coal mines are still working to remove water from their properties under special environmental discharge approvals from the state government," QRC chief executive Michael Roche said in a statement.
There are 57 operational coal mines in Queensland including export and non-export mines, according to the QRC an industry body that represents coal miners in the Australian state including Anglo American, BHP Biliton, Macarthur Coal and Rio Tinto. Three-quarters of the total means 42 or 43 coal mines being out of action.
"These special discharge approvals are of limited benefit without the right rainfall pattern, and there is growing concern over the outlook for continuing rain in the coal regions and the possible formation of another tropical cyclone," Roche said.
He said the prospect of more heavy rainfall in central Queensland's coal producing area could hamper existing efforts to pump out rainwater that had collected in open-cut pits.
"What can be pumped off a site can be replaced just as quickly by such rainfall, and your flooded coal pit is then right back to square one of the business recovery phase," added Roche.
Queensland's Department of Environment and Resource Management has taken a strict approach to the discharge of rainwater that has collected in open-cut mines in the state.
The department received 41 applications during December 2010 and January 2011 for new or amended Transitional Environmental Programs enabling mines to safely discharge water, and a further 16 applications were under assessment, DERM said in a February 11 statement issued to Platts.
DERM said it was aware of "31 potential breaches of environmental authority conditions for mines across the state this wet season" and pledged to investigate every one of these cases "with particular attention to whether the situation could have been avoided or minimized through better on site preparation or water management infrastructure."
QRC said in its statement that latest coal export data for the month of February 2011, two months after the state received its heaviest rainfall, revealed that the Queensland coal industry was presently operating at around two-thirds of its production capacity compared with 12 months ago.
The industry figures show that 8 million mt of coal exports were shipped from Queensland in February 2011, compared with 12 million mt of exports in February 2010.
"This is only one month's worth of exports, but the numbers are consistent with company reports and the QRC's own estimates of a 30 million mt downturn in coal production in 2010-11 caused by wet season floods," said Roche.
Production losses stemming from the recent flooding event in the Australian state are forecast to reach "at least A$5 billion (US$5 billion) this financial year" the QRC said in its statement. (By Platts)
Perth, Australia(Platts) - Three-quarters of Queensland, Australia's coal mines are still pumping rainwater from their open-cut pits and coal producers are growing concerned at the effect more forecast rainfall could have on the industry's recovery, coal industry body the Queensland Resources Council said Thursday.
"Three-out-of-four coal mines are still working to remove water from their properties under special environmental discharge approvals from the state government," QRC chief executive Michael Roche said in a statement.
There are 57 operational coal mines in Queensland including export and non-export mines, according to the QRC an industry body that represents coal miners in the Australian state including Anglo American, BHP Biliton, Macarthur Coal and Rio Tinto. Three-quarters of the total means 42 or 43 coal mines being out of action.
"These special discharge approvals are of limited benefit without the right rainfall pattern, and there is growing concern over the outlook for continuing rain in the coal regions and the possible formation of another tropical cyclone," Roche said.
He said the prospect of more heavy rainfall in central Queensland's coal producing area could hamper existing efforts to pump out rainwater that had collected in open-cut pits.
"What can be pumped off a site can be replaced just as quickly by such rainfall, and your flooded coal pit is then right back to square one of the business recovery phase," added Roche.
Queensland's Department of Environment and Resource Management has taken a strict approach to the discharge of rainwater that has collected in open-cut mines in the state.
The department received 41 applications during December 2010 and January 2011 for new or amended Transitional Environmental Programs enabling mines to safely discharge water, and a further 16 applications were under assessment, DERM said in a February 11 statement issued to Platts.
DERM said it was aware of "31 potential breaches of environmental authority conditions for mines across the state this wet season" and pledged to investigate every one of these cases "with particular attention to whether the situation could have been avoided or minimized through better on site preparation or water management infrastructure."
QRC said in its statement that latest coal export data for the month of February 2011, two months after the state received its heaviest rainfall, revealed that the Queensland coal industry was presently operating at around two-thirds of its production capacity compared with 12 months ago.
The industry figures show that 8 million mt of coal exports were shipped from Queensland in February 2011, compared with 12 million mt of exports in February 2010.
"This is only one month's worth of exports, but the numbers are consistent with company reports and the QRC's own estimates of a 30 million mt downturn in coal production in 2010-11 caused by wet season floods," said Roche.
Production losses stemming from the recent flooding event in the Australian state are forecast to reach "at least A$5 billion (US$5 billion) this financial year" the QRC said in its statement. (By Platts)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Australian cyclone risks to commodities trade
Wed Feb 2, 2011 2:34am EST
SYDNEY (Reuters) - A massive cyclone due to slam into Australia's northeast coast on Wednesday could prove costly for major producers of commodities such as sugar, coal, nickel, copper and gold.
Cyclone Yasi, now closing in on the central coast of Queensland state, is forecast to generate winds of up to around 300 kph (180 mph) by the time it comes ashore late on Wednesday.
Here are the main risks to commodity markets.
SUGAR
The cyclone threatens to flatten sugar cane in an area accounting for roughly a third of Queensland state's production, which in turn makes up more than 90 percent of national sugar production.
Crop damage could further pressure world raw-sugar prices, already at three-decade highs.
Australia ranks among the top-three raw-sugar exporters alongside Brazil and Thailand, shipping more than 3.0 million metric tons in a normal year, or about 10 percent of the world export market.
In 2006, a weaker cyclone, named Larry, slashed national raw sugar output by almost 8 percent to 4.7 million metric tons.
The abnormally wet start to the Australian summer this year caused the country's worst harvest in 20 years.
Raw sugar exports for 2010/11 are forecast to fall to around 2.4 million metric tons from the previous 3.2 million metric tons, after recent heavy rains and floods cut sugar content, says leading sugar exporter Queensland Sugar Ltd.
Queensland-based Cane growers Association had hoped for a modest recovery in sugarcane production to around 29 million metric tons in 2011/12 from 27.3 million metric tons in 2010/11.
A normal harvest is around 33 million metric tons.
Harvesting usually starts mid-year and can finish as late as December. The current crop threatened by Yasi is in its early growing phase.
Global sugar supply will just cover demand this year and prices will fall by end-2011, a Reuters poll in January showed, although that fine balance could easily be upset by dire weather or logjams at ports in Brazil, the world's top sugar producer.
Also in the path of the cyclone are the two biggest Australian sugar ports: Mackay, which can handle 3 million metric tons a year, and Townsville (2 million metric tons).
COTTON & GRAINS
About five million tonnes was left uncut because of rain disruption and is most at risk being smashed by the cyclone because it is standing taller than the new 2011 crop.
COAL MINES, GRAZIERS ON ALERT
Yasi, one of the world's most powerful cyclones, is so large that it is expected to travel as far inland as the Mt Isa mining region, about 1,000 km inland, before finally breaking up.
Xstrata said it was bracing for high winds at its Mount Isa Copper mining and smelting unit and also at its Ernest Henry copper mining operations even further inland.
Most of Queensland's coal mines lie south of the cyclone's predicted march west across the state, but the northerly mines, such as Rio Tinto's Hail Creek mine and Xstrata Coal's Collinsville mine, have been closed. Xstrata was considering shutting its Newlands mine as well.
The Pajingo gold mine, south of the historic gold mining town of Charters Towers and yielding around 2,200 ounces a month, is well within the forecast path of Yasi, and the owner said on Wednesday that work had been suspended.
Queensland state's large livestock industry also prepared on Wednesday for heavy loses from Cyclone Yasi.
Australia's National Farmers Federation estimates that the cyclone could affect a fifth of Queensland's A$3.3 billion ($3.34 billion) herd if it barrels through prime grazing areas.
Queensland, with about 12 million head of cattle, accounts for about 44 percent of the national herd.
Australia's banana growers also face major losses, with the crop now in full swing. In 2006, local banana prices quadrupled after Cyclone Larry destroyed 80 percent of the national crop.
"Losses will likely be catastrophic again," the National Farmers Federation said in an email to Reuters. ($1 = 0.988 Australian Dollars)
(Additional reporting by Rebekah Kebede in PERTH and Lewa Pardomuan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Mark Bendeich, Yoko Nishikawa and Sanjeev Miglani, sourced :Reuters)
SYDNEY (Reuters) - A massive cyclone due to slam into Australia's northeast coast on Wednesday could prove costly for major producers of commodities such as sugar, coal, nickel, copper and gold.
Cyclone Yasi, now closing in on the central coast of Queensland state, is forecast to generate winds of up to around 300 kph (180 mph) by the time it comes ashore late on Wednesday.
Here are the main risks to commodity markets.
SUGAR
The cyclone threatens to flatten sugar cane in an area accounting for roughly a third of Queensland state's production, which in turn makes up more than 90 percent of national sugar production.
Crop damage could further pressure world raw-sugar prices, already at three-decade highs.
Australia ranks among the top-three raw-sugar exporters alongside Brazil and Thailand, shipping more than 3.0 million metric tons in a normal year, or about 10 percent of the world export market.
In 2006, a weaker cyclone, named Larry, slashed national raw sugar output by almost 8 percent to 4.7 million metric tons.
The abnormally wet start to the Australian summer this year caused the country's worst harvest in 20 years.
Raw sugar exports for 2010/11 are forecast to fall to around 2.4 million metric tons from the previous 3.2 million metric tons, after recent heavy rains and floods cut sugar content, says leading sugar exporter Queensland Sugar Ltd.
Queensland-based Cane growers Association had hoped for a modest recovery in sugarcane production to around 29 million metric tons in 2011/12 from 27.3 million metric tons in 2010/11.
A normal harvest is around 33 million metric tons.
Harvesting usually starts mid-year and can finish as late as December. The current crop threatened by Yasi is in its early growing phase.
Global sugar supply will just cover demand this year and prices will fall by end-2011, a Reuters poll in January showed, although that fine balance could easily be upset by dire weather or logjams at ports in Brazil, the world's top sugar producer.
Also in the path of the cyclone are the two biggest Australian sugar ports: Mackay, which can handle 3 million metric tons a year, and Townsville (2 million metric tons).
COTTON & GRAINS
About five million tonnes was left uncut because of rain disruption and is most at risk being smashed by the cyclone because it is standing taller than the new 2011 crop.
COAL MINES, GRAZIERS ON ALERT
Yasi, one of the world's most powerful cyclones, is so large that it is expected to travel as far inland as the Mt Isa mining region, about 1,000 km inland, before finally breaking up.
Xstrata said it was bracing for high winds at its Mount Isa Copper mining and smelting unit and also at its Ernest Henry copper mining operations even further inland.
Most of Queensland's coal mines lie south of the cyclone's predicted march west across the state, but the northerly mines, such as Rio Tinto's Hail Creek mine and Xstrata Coal's Collinsville mine, have been closed. Xstrata was considering shutting its Newlands mine as well.
The Pajingo gold mine, south of the historic gold mining town of Charters Towers and yielding around 2,200 ounces a month, is well within the forecast path of Yasi, and the owner said on Wednesday that work had been suspended.
Queensland state's large livestock industry also prepared on Wednesday for heavy loses from Cyclone Yasi.
Australia's National Farmers Federation estimates that the cyclone could affect a fifth of Queensland's A$3.3 billion ($3.34 billion) herd if it barrels through prime grazing areas.
Queensland, with about 12 million head of cattle, accounts for about 44 percent of the national herd.
Australia's banana growers also face major losses, with the crop now in full swing. In 2006, local banana prices quadrupled after Cyclone Larry destroyed 80 percent of the national crop.
"Losses will likely be catastrophic again," the National Farmers Federation said in an email to Reuters. ($1 = 0.988 Australian Dollars)
(Additional reporting by Rebekah Kebede in PERTH and Lewa Pardomuan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Mark Bendeich, Yoko Nishikawa and Sanjeev Miglani, sourced :Reuters)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Rio and Aquila resume operations after Queensland floods
Saturday, 22 Jan 2011
Reuters reported that miners Rio Tinto and Aquila Resources have resumed some operations in Australia's flood ravaged Queensland state as waters receded and the region's vital mining and metals sector slowly returned to work.
Rio Tinto terminated force majeure at its Boyne Island aluminium smelter as it could resume transportation while Aquila restarted production at its Isaac Plains coal mine, a joint venture with Brazil's Vale.
But Queensland's coal industry, which suffered losses of over USD 2 billion according to some estimates, is still far from normal and Aquila warned it would still take some time to resume full operations while Cockatoo Coal said mining at its Baralaba operations would not start before February 2011.
Aquila said that "Whilst all equipment is in working order, resumption of full production rates will take some time while dewatering of the site is completed. Force Majeure remains in place on a number of sales contracts."
Australia accounts for around two-thirds of the world's coking coal exports and Queensland share is around 90 percent of that figures.
Gladstone Port, Queensland's second largest coal export port, earlier this week said it would take until the end of March 2011 for exports to return to normal while mining services companies said it could take three to six months to pump out all the water in mining pits.
(Sourced from www.reuters.com)
Reuters reported that miners Rio Tinto and Aquila Resources have resumed some operations in Australia's flood ravaged Queensland state as waters receded and the region's vital mining and metals sector slowly returned to work.
Rio Tinto terminated force majeure at its Boyne Island aluminium smelter as it could resume transportation while Aquila restarted production at its Isaac Plains coal mine, a joint venture with Brazil's Vale.
But Queensland's coal industry, which suffered losses of over USD 2 billion according to some estimates, is still far from normal and Aquila warned it would still take some time to resume full operations while Cockatoo Coal said mining at its Baralaba operations would not start before February 2011.
Aquila said that "Whilst all equipment is in working order, resumption of full production rates will take some time while dewatering of the site is completed. Force Majeure remains in place on a number of sales contracts."
Australia accounts for around two-thirds of the world's coking coal exports and Queensland share is around 90 percent of that figures.
Gladstone Port, Queensland's second largest coal export port, earlier this week said it would take until the end of March 2011 for exports to return to normal while mining services companies said it could take three to six months to pump out all the water in mining pits.
(Sourced from www.reuters.com)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Australia's Aquila restarts Issac Plains mine after floods
Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:12pm GMT
SYDNEY Jan 21 (Reuters) - Australia's Aquila Resources said production has restarted at its Issac Plains metallurgical and thermal coal mine following recent flooding in Queensland state.
However, force majeure remained in place on some sales contracts as resumption of full production will take some time while waters are pumped out, Aquila said.
The mine is a 50-50-joint venture between Aquila and Brazil's Vale
(source:Reuters, Reporting by James Regan; editing by Balazs Koranyi)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Recovery of Australian coal mines need months - Report
Sunday, 16 Jan 2011
Reuters reported that coal mines in Australia's flood ravaged Queensland state could take up to six months to return to full operation as the lack of water pumping and storage capacity is slowing efforts to clear pits.
Mr Dave Walker, who manages water pumping for Total Water Management, a mining contractor said that “There's just nothing left to hire, all the pumps are working non stop. It could be months before all the water is out.”
Mr Walker said that “Production has restarted in a few places and the lucky ones will be clear in two to four weeks but some mines will take three to six months.”
Mr Warrick Ryan, an Operations Manager at Bowen Basin Hire, which rents out pumping equipment, said the pump capacity is only part of the issue as many mines simply lack the water storage capacity to clear pits.
He said “You can't just run the water into the creek, you have to store it somewhere and many places are running out. I'd say it'll be three to five months before all the water's knocked out if there's no more rain.”
As per report, open pit mines bore the brunt of the flooding, while underground deposits largely escaped damage.
Courtesy news by Reuters
Reuters reported that coal mines in Australia's flood ravaged Queensland state could take up to six months to return to full operation as the lack of water pumping and storage capacity is slowing efforts to clear pits.
Mr Dave Walker, who manages water pumping for Total Water Management, a mining contractor said that “There's just nothing left to hire, all the pumps are working non stop. It could be months before all the water is out.”
Mr Walker said that “Production has restarted in a few places and the lucky ones will be clear in two to four weeks but some mines will take three to six months.”
Mr Warrick Ryan, an Operations Manager at Bowen Basin Hire, which rents out pumping equipment, said the pump capacity is only part of the issue as many mines simply lack the water storage capacity to clear pits.
He said “You can't just run the water into the creek, you have to store it somewhere and many places are running out. I'd say it'll be three to five months before all the water's knocked out if there's no more rain.”
As per report, open pit mines bore the brunt of the flooding, while underground deposits largely escaped damage.
Courtesy news by Reuters
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