Brisbane-based MIM Holdings reported that its coal division posted strong mine and washplant performances for its 75% owned Queensland operations. (For details on results related to MIM's other commodities see MiningNews.net)

At MIM's 75% owned Oaky Creek operations (including the Oaky No 1 mine, Oaky North and Alliance mine) in central Queensland, strong mine and washplant performances continued. Increased product coal output from the Oaky North and No 1 longwall operations offset a planned reduction from Alliance and from the open cut where operations concluded in late 1999.

Product coal output was in line with that for the previous September quarter. A scheduled longwall move was completed at Oaky North, with washplant output maintained from run-of-mine stocks.

At MIM's 75% owned Newlands-Collinsville-Abbot Point operation, product coal output from was ahead of the previous September quarter.

Product coal output was increased at both operations with run-of-mine stocks drawn down to meet higher sales demand during the quarter. A scheduled longwall move at Newlands was completed during the quarter, with washplant output maintained from open cut operations and run-of-mine stocks.

During the quarter, Oaky Creek produced 1.427Mt coking coal (production figures 75% of total). The No 1 mine produced 646,253t, Oaky North produced 687,593t and the Alliance operation produced 93,840t.

The Newlands operation produced a total of 1.532 Mt for the period, with 923,105t from the Newlands longwall mine.