The Carborough Downs mine in Queensland reached its second highest quarterly production mark of 763,000t in 1Q16, 105.7% and 41.1% higher than in 4Q15 and 1Q15 respectively.

The better result was due to improved operational performance at the mine, after longwall moves which occurred in March, October and November of 2015, impacted production in 1Q15 and 4Q15.

Production at Moatize was 900,000t in 1Q16, with a decline in both metallurgical and thermal coal production, due to the prioritization of waste movement of around 7.6Mt in order to prepare the mine for the start-up of the coal handling facility scheduled for May.

There was also an unscheduled six-day maintenance stoppage at the plant in January to increase its availability.

“Since the maintenance stoppage the plant has been operating at appropriate levels,” the company said.

Production of metallurgical coal was 31.0% and 17.1% lower than in 4Q15 and 1Q15, respectively, and production of thermal coal was 12.8% and 30.4% lower compared to the same quarters.

The ramp-up of the Nacala Logistics Corridor continued as planned, transporting 747,000t on the railway in 1Q16 against 241,000t in 4Q15 and concluding thirteen shipments in 1Q16 compared with one shipment in 4Q15.