Anglo’s Grasstree mine also completed a planned longwall move which also helped the result and construction of the greenfield Grosvenor metallurgical coal project in Queensland is progressing on schedule, the company said in its latest quarterly statement.

“First development coal was cut in September,” Anglo said.

“Longwall production remains on schedule to commence at the end of 2016.”

Anglo has increased full-year production guidance for export metallurgical coking coal to about 21Mt from 20Mt previously.

The result from thermal coal was not as encouraging with Australian export thermal coal production decreasing by 6% to 1.6Mt owing to lower production from Drayton in New South Wales as the mine nears the end of its life.

Export thermal coal production from South Africa fared better with an 11% increase to 5Mt, with increases across the majority of export operations, including export product quality optimisation, productivity improvements at Greenside and favourable mining conditions at Zibulo.

Eskom production was 12% lower at 8.0Mt owing to the New Denmark longwall move and municipal protest action temporarily impacting production at Kriel.

Domestic non-Eskom production increased by 12% to 1.9Mt as a result of higher production at Zibulo.

Production from Cerrejon in Colombia decreased by 26% to 2.4Mt because of heavy rainfall in August and September.

Full-year production guidance remains unchanged for export thermal coal from South Africa and Cerrejon operations at 28-29Mt.