PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Coal miner New Hope has reported a 9% increase in coal production for the quarter ended January, and an 84% increase in production in the six months ended January, as the Bengalla project, in New South Wales, increased output.
Total saleable coal production for the quarter reached 2.8-million tonnes, up from the 2.6-million tonnes produced in the previous corresponding quarter, while interim production was up from 4.6-million tonnes to 6.2-million tonnes.
Production at Bengalla reached 5.4-million tonnes in the interim period, of which New Hope’s share of production accounted for 4.3-million tonnes.
Offsetting the increase in production from Bengalla, output from New Hope’s New Acland mine decreased by 42% during the quarter, from 1.1-million tonnes to 686 000 t, and by 19% in the interim period, from 2.3-million tonnes to 1.8-million tonnes.
New Hope has been forced to make 150 staff redundant at the New Acland operation, as the company awaits approval of the Stage 3 expansion which would increase the mine life by 12 years beyond the current end date of mid-2020, and which would increase annual output at the mine from the current 4.8-million tonnes to 7.5-million tonnes.