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Australia produced 414 million tonnes in 2011, compared with India at 585Mt, the USA at 1004Mt, and China with a staggering 3471Mt, according to figures released by the World Coal Association.
The one consolation for Australia is that it is in second spot for coking coal production, with 146Mt behind China’s 504Mt.
But it is a different story with thermal coal. The fast growing Indonesia is moving in on Australia’s seaborne trade to Asia and South Africa is ramping up its projects.
Indonesia has taken the mantle of the world’s top coal exporter with 309Mt of thermal coal, relegating Australia to second with 284Mt, of which 144mt was thermal coal and 140Mt was coking coal.
Indonesia was the fourth biggest thermal coal producer with 373Mt, while South Africa was fifth with 250Mt. Australia was next with 199Mt.
One again China lead the pack with 2831Mt of thermal coal production.
Total world coal production reached a record level of 7678Mt in 2011, increasing by 6.6% over 2010. The average annual growth rate of coal production since 1999 was 4.4%.
