Attributable production from Rio Tinto’s 75.7% owned subsidiary, Coal & Allied was 7% lower than the third quarter of 2002 and 4% lower than the second quarter of this year reflecting alignment of production with market demand the company said.
Coal & Allied mines in NSW produced a total 6.147Mt from mines that include Bengalla (Rio Tinto 30%); Hunter Valley Operations (76%); Mount Thorley Operations (61%); and Warkworth (42%), all in New South Wales.
Pacific Coal in Queensland produced 6.248Mt from Blair Athol Coal (71.2%), Hail Creek Coal (92%), Kestrel Coal (80%) and Tarong Coal (100%). The Kestrel longwall production in the first nine months of 2003 was lower than production in the equivalent period of 2002, due to a longwall changeover in the third quarter of 2003.
Hail Creek production contributed to a 17% increase in production for Pacific Coal as well as increased domestic sales from Tarong.
The 50% owned Kaltim Prima Coal mine in Indonesia produced 3.422Mt during the period.
Production from US mines was 8% above the third quarter of 2002, for a total 28.459Mt. This included production from the mines operated by Kennecott Energy and Coal Company in the US: Antelope (Rio Tinto 100%); Colowyo in Colorado, where Kennecott Energy has a partnership interest and full management responsibility; Cordero Rojo (100%); Decker (50%); Jacobs Ranch (100%) and Spring Creek (100%).
