Diversified miner Glencore produced 30.9 million mt of coal during the first quarter, 4% more on the year, due to higher coking coal production and thermal coal ramp-ups in Australia, the company said Thursday.
It added, however, that output had fallen 6% from Q4 2016 due to "adverse weather conditions in Australia and South Africa."
The company said in its quarterly production report that it had produced 12.8 million mt of Australian export thermal coal, a jump of 10% on the year due to ramp-ups at Rolleston and Mangoola, and the company's increased ownership of the Newlands and Collinsville mines.
In Australia, domestic thermal coal production, however, fell 6% from Q1 2016 to 1.6 million mt.
Australian coking coal production increased 42% year on year to 1.7 million mt due geological issues at Oaky Creek a year earlier, while semi-soft output was steady at 1 million mt.
Glencore said Cyclone Debbie had had a "minimal impact on mine production across the portfolio, with stoppages limited to a few days," although railings to port were interrupted.
South African export thermal coal output rose 2% year on year to 4.3 million mt, although domestic thermal coal output dropped 19% on the year to 2.6 million mt as the Hlagisa and Springlake mines moved toward their end of lives with lower production.
At its Colombian operations, Glencore produced 4.2 million mt at Prodeco, down 2% on the year due to, while its 33.3% pro-rata share of production from the Cerrejon mine was 2.8 million mt, up 8% on eased dust restrictions, the company said.
