Coal tonnage was up 9.33 million tonnes, or 7.45% on 2002 figures, with exports to Japan increasing 12.65%, Europe 16.92% and other countries a massive 37.95%.

"Exports of coking coal increased by 6.03 million tonnes to 90.277 million tonnes (up 7.15%) and thermal coal by 3.31 million tonnes to 44.359 million tonnes (up 8.06%)," said Queensland mines and energy minister Stephen Robertson.

Total saleable coal produced by Queensland during the 2003 calendar year also increased 2.76 % to 156.117 million.

Domestic coal sales increased 5.9% to 24.980 million tonnes compared with 23.587 million in 2002, and this increase was mainly for electricity generation.

"Total employment in the state's coal mines also increased by just over 8.22% to 11,123 positions during the 2003 calendar year compared with 10,278 positions during 2002," Robertson said.

"Most of this employment increase was in the Bowen Basin open-cut and underground coal mines," he said.

Productivity for the 2003 calendar year was 14,208 tonnes per person, reflecting additional pre-stripping work at some open-cut mines and difficult mining conditions at some of the underground mines.

Queensland had 41 operating mines at the end of 2003, 31 open-cut and 10 underground.