The state’s underground mines produced 2.778 million tonnes during the month with opencut mines contributing 12.866Mt.
Total exports went from 10.71Mt in August last year to 13.02Mt this year. Coking coal exports rose 18% to 8.80Mt and thermal coal exports jumped to 4.21Mt from 3.30Mt. Dalrymple Bay exported 4.28Mt, Gladstone 3.78Mt and Hay Point 3.13Mt.
As usual, Japan was the major export destination taking 4.94Mt of Queensland’s coal output, followed by Korea on 1.88Mt.
Compared with a year ago just over 2500 more people were employed in the state’s coal industry this August. But compared with last month, employment figures appear to have levelled off with 13,921 workers employed in August 2004. Last month, 14,094 people were employed by the sector.
Average output per seven hour employee shift was 53.45t.
