Whitehaven halves production in December quarter
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Coal miner Whitehaven Coal has reported a 58% fall in quarterly production for the three months to December, on the back of mine closures, maintenance and drought and bushfires.
“The December quarter production results reflect the impact of the previously reported labour shortages and dust events at our largest mine, Maules Creek, and the scheduled Narrabri mine longwall move,” said Whitehaven MD and CEO Paul Flynn.
Coal production for the December quarter reached 3.1-million tonnes run-of-mine (RoM), while saleable coal production also reached 3.1-million tonnes, with coal sales down 17% on the previous corresponding period, to 4.5-million tonnes.
Labour shortages and dust and smoke events associated with both drought conditions and regional bushfires impacted operations at the Maules Creek mine during the December quarter, with RoM production falling by 44% in the quarter, compared with the previous corresponding period, to 2.2-million tonnes.
Whitehaven has implemented a revised labour strategy for the mine, which has begun to deliver positive outcomes, the miner said.
Meanwhile, RoM production from the Narrabri underground longwall mine declined by 90% in the quarter, from 2.3-million tonnes in the December 2018 quarter to 233 000 t owing to the move of the longwall operation and the replacement of the 400 leg cylinders which took place during the longwall relocation.
Longwall production restarted in January and is ramping up to plan, Whitehaven said.
Meanwhile, RoM production from the Gunnedah opencut mines also declined by 41%, from 1.1-million tonnes to 657 000 t, as both of the Rocglend and Sunnyside mines closed. Both of the operations have transitions to rehabilitaition phase, while production at Werris Creek also decreased owing to mining conditions.
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