Increased revenues on the quarter were largely fuelled by the company’s Middletown coking operation but were offset by higher financing expenses.

While operating income and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization grew 99% and 74% respectively compared to Q2 2011, debt associated with becoming a stand-alone company over the last year more than doubled net financing expenses.

SunCoke chairman and chief executive Fritz Henderson said the successful start-up of Middletown and improvements at the Indiana Harbor plant east of Chicago helped deliver a strong coke-making quarter for the company’s US operations.

“While our coal business remains challenging, we made progress improving our mining productivity and lowering costs versus first quarter 2012,” he said.

“For full-year 2012, we continue to expect to deliver between $250 million and $280 million in adjusted EBITDA.

“We now expect 2012 capital expenditures to be about $85 million and free cash flow to be in excess of $100million.”

Coal mining production increased 18% from Q2 last year to 400,000 tons and is projected to reach 1.6Mt for the year.

Earnings per ton, however, were down almost $9 since Q2 2011.