The figure is 14% up on the output produced in the same period last year. Of that total, open-cut mines produced 10.790 million tonnes and employed 8 517 workers. Underground mines produced 2.130Mt with a workforce totalling 2 708.

Cumulative production for January to August totalled 104.662Mt, up on 100.224Mt produced in the same period last year.

Some 7.408Mt of coking coal was exported during the period compared with 7.063Mt a year earlier, resulting in cumulative January to August exports of 60.387Mt, up on the 56.904Mt of a year ago.

Steam coal exports in August totalled 3.3Mt, up on the 3.259Mt produced in August 2002. Cumulative export totals for the state’s steam coal for January to August totalled 28.232Mt, slightly up on the 27.098Mt of a year ago.

The bulk of exports went through Hay Point and Gladstone, with tonnages of 3.355Mt and 3.268Mt respectively. Dalrymple Bay’s throughput in August was 2.993Mt.

Japan was the largest export destination for Queensland coal accounting for 4.081Mt in August. Year to date figures (January to August) indicate Japan has bought 34Mt of Queensland coal. Korea was the second highest destination, receiving 1.884Mt of coal in August and 14Mt year to date. India’s consumption of Queensland coal is up, to 1.299Mt in August, and year to date 9.221Mt.