The figures, released by Queensland’s Department of Natural Resources & Mines, indicated saleable coal produced during the June 2005 quarter dropped slightly to 43.674Mt.

Exports increased by 6.34% to 37.915Mt and with the exception of the port of Gladstone, there was increased tonnages through the remaining Queensland coal ports during this June quarter when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2004.

During the 2004-05 financial year, exports of coking coal have shown an increase of 14.916Mt or 16.53% and thermal coal showed a decrease of 4.469Mt or 9.98%.

During 2004-05, Brazil’s coal imports from Queensland were up 8% to 5.834Mt, France was up 11% to 5.196Mt, Germany up 38% to 2.115Mt, India up 26% to 16.236Mt, Italy up 27% to 2.991Mt, Japan up 9% to 54.820Mt and Taiwan up 18% to 7.740Mt.

For the year, coal sales within Queensland increased 6% to total 26.691Mt, with the bulk of the coal used for electricity generation. Consumption of 23.903Mt during this period was 6% higher than during 2003-04.

Compared with the same time last year, employment numbers in the state’s coal industry jumped by 20%. On June 30 2005 there were 15,831 positions mostly from increased growth in opencut mine employment

Productivity for the June 2005 quarter decreased by 7.36% from an average of 52.74 tonnes per shift for the June 2004 quarter to 48.86tps in the June 2005 quarter. Productivity for the 2004-05 financial year was 11,809t per person, a decrease of 1513 tonnes or 11.36% compared to last year.