Rio Tinto and Anglo American reported this week declining January to March quarter 2016 production figures compared with last year.
Rio Tinto Group reported hard and semi-hard coking coal share of production for Q1 2016 was 1.982 million mt, down 1% from Q1 2015 and up 4% from the previous quarter, according to a statement. Rio's semi-soft coking coal share of the production was 1.175 million mt, 47% higher than Q4 2015 and up 31% from the same quarter last year.
The Hail Creek mine, which produces hard coking coal, reported a total production of 1.493 million mt for Q1 2016, up 3% from Q1 2015 and up 8% from the previous quarter.
For the Kestrel mine, which produces semi-hard coking coal, the total production decreased to 0.948 million mt, down 7% from the same period last year and 1% lower from the previous quarter.
For semi-soft coking coal, total production at Hunter Valley was 0.996 million mt, up 47% from Q1 2015 and 24% from the previous quarter. Total production at Mount Thorley rose to 0.454 million mt, 17% increase from Q1 2015 and 123% from Q4 2015. Warkworth had a total production of 0.241 million mt, a 5% rise from Q1 2015 and 55% from the previous quarter.
According to the report, the surge in production reflects mine production sequencing at Hunter Valley Operations and Mount Thorley Warkworth.
Rio Tinto's forecast production for the year remained unchanged at 7 to 8 million tonnes for hard and semi-hard coking coal and 3.3 to 3.9 million tonnes for semi-soft coking coal.
Anglo American coking coal and PCI production for Q1 2016 at 4.526 million mt, down 17% from the previous quarter and 9% decrease from Q1 2015.
The decline is "due to planned longwall moves taking place at Moranbah and Grasstree," according to the company's quarterly report published on Thursday.
In the coking coal category, production for Q1 2016 fell to 3.379 million mt, 21% decrease from Q4 2015 and down 10% from Q1 2015. Similarly, production for PCI dropped to 1.147 million mt, down 3% from the previous quarter and down 8% from the same period last year.
Coal production at Foxleigh increased to 0.436 million mt, 15% rise from the previous quarter and 9% decline from Q1 2015. Anglo American announced the sale of the Foxleigh mine to Taurus Funds Management on April 4. Grosvenor had production of 0.203 million mt for Q1 2016, up 13% from the previous quarter and 293% increase from Q1 2015.
However, coal production at Capcoal, Jellinbah and Moranbah North fell from the previous quarter by 23%, 13% and 33%, respectively. Q1 2016 production for these three mines was lower than the same period last year.
Anglo American's production guidance for the year remains unchanged at 21-22 million mt for export metallurgical coal.
