Vale Mocambique to start exporting coal from Moatize in August

Monday, 22 Aug 2011

macauhub reported that Mozambican subsidiary of Brazilian mining giant Vale, Vale Moçambique is due this month to start exporting coal mined in Moatize, Tete province, to the European market.

The report cited Mr Vanessa Bernardo coordinator of Vale communication and development office as saying that within the next few days a ship would dock at the port of Beira that will carry the coal that started being transported last week from the mine to the coal terminal at the port along the Sena railroad.

The Moatize coal mine, in the coal basin of the same name, which in this first phase involves investment of USD 1.658 billion, will produce 11 million tonnes of metallurgical and thermal coal per year and the latter will also be used for the company’s own consumption to fire its power plant and to link up to the Mozambican national grid.

Brazil’s Vale, which set up in Moatize in 2004, has a concession on one of the world’s largest coal reserves and the company expects positive results in the near future.

The Moatize project which is currently Vale’s largest investment in the coal sector, is part of the group’s strategy to become a benchmark in the world coal sector and it also has a portfolio of mining projects in Australia and Colombia, as well as minority stakes in two partnerships in China.

(sourced Macauhub)

Cline Mining Corp announces first commercial coal shipment from New Elk Coal Co

Friday, 19 Aug 2011

Cline Mining Corporation has announced that its first commercial sale of metallurgical grade coking coal was shipped on August 9th 2011 by Cline's wholly owned subsidiary New Elk Coal Company LLC from its coal mine located near the town of Trinidad in southern Colorado, USA.

The first coal shipment was made into rail cars from the company's newly constructed bulk rail load out facility at Jansen Yard near Trinidad. The coal was from first mine production and meets the full specification grade of New Elk's high quality metallurgical grade coal for steelmaking purposes. The New Elk metallurgical coal is a high volatile, high fluidity, high FSI and low sulphur product.

Ongoing continuing coal deliveries and shipments are scheduled according to the company's production schedule going forward. Cline is continuing to mine metallurgical coal from its New Elk Coal Mine, which is being placed in stockpiles on the mine surface. The coal preparation plant is treating the raw coal produced from the mine and achieving the high specification standards for New Elk met coal. An active coal marketing program is in full effect to establish and settle long term customer relationships. Bulk samples of the product coal are being produced and distributed to the major national and international steel industry participants.

New Elk production of metallurgical steel making coal slated for world markets is anticipated to ramp up to a production rate of 3.0 million tons annually by the first quarter of 2012, as described and detailed in the National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report New Elk Mine Project. Las Animas County, Colorado USA prepared for New Elk Coal Company LLC, subsidiary of Cline Mining Corporation" dated May 27th 2011 prepared by Mr Leo Gilbride and Mr Timothy A Ross of Agapito Associates Inc.

Flooding hits New Hope coal shipments

March23,2011 12:00AM
By Sarah-Jane Tasker,The Australian

QUEENSLAND coalminer New Hope has reported a jump in its first-half profit to $407.4 million, but widespread flooding is still affecting its shipments.

According to the company, the healthy profit was driven by the sale to Royal Dutch Shell and PetroChina of its 16.7 per cent stake in Arrow Energy, which added a one-off $326m to net profit.

Excluding this benefit, net profit in the six months to the end of January fell 27 per cent to $81.1m, on the back of increased costs, Queensland flooding and a strong Australian dollar.

The miner, which operates three mines in Queensland, said although the heavy rainfall in December and January had only a limited effect on mining operations, damage to the Western Rail Line servicing flagship project New Acland had prevented shipment of coal from that mine.

It said rail transport from New Acland had been curtailed for about 2 1/2 months but was expected to resume later this month.

New Hope has ramped up production at its West Moreton operations and increased truck haulage levels from New Acland.

According to the company, this year's second-half result will be harmed by the unavailability of the Western Rail Line and the flow-on effect to exports from New Acland. It added that revised full-year sales forecasts were expected to be in the range of 4.8-5.2 million tonnes.

Clean-coal production for the half year, fell 2 per cent to 2.8 million tonnes.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned yesterday that the area in southeast Queensland where New Hope has its operations had a 70 per cent chance of higher than median rainfall in the three months to the end of June.

Despite the weather, New Hope managing director Rob Neale said the miner had increased export sales during the first half by 23 per cent to 2.7 million tonnes.

"As a result, we are in a good position to take advantage of firming coal prices once transport infrastructure in the region has been repaired," he said.

"Recent acquisitions in both the coal and energy sector complement a very strong balance sheet and provide New Hope with a solid platform for growth in the short to medium term."

The company was positive on the outlook for the price of thermal coal, with contract negotiations between Swiss giant Xstrata and Japanese power generators to start in the next few weeks.

It is understood Xstrata representatives were in Japan ready to start talks just after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which have stalled discussions.(sourced Theaustralian)

Caofeidian port rail coal supply rose last week

Mar 1, 2011 |en.sxcoal

Coal transported via railway to Caofeidian port, one of the coal-loading ports in northern China, increased 138,000 tonnes to 1.14 million tonnes in the week from Feb 21 to 27, according to the coal portal, operated by Qinhuangdao Seaborne Coal Market.

Coal haulage via railway averaged 163,000 tonnes per day last week, jumping 13.99 percent from a week ago, according to the report, adding the rail coal shipment had surged for two straight weeks.

According to statistics, Caofeidian port handled 894,000 tonnes coal in the week, up 71,000 tonnes or 8.63 percent from the previous week, especially over 160,000 tonnes from Feb 24 to 26.

As navigation at the port was closed for more than 50 hours, an average of 27 vessels waited off the port for loading, 18 vessels more than that in the previous week.

As of Feb 27, coal stockpiled at Caofeidian port stood at a higher level of 2.37 million tonnes.