Rio Tinto's 80% share of the Queensland mine recorded 779,000 tonnes production for quarter. Output was relatively in line with the corresponding 2002 period, which recorded production of 823,000 tonnes for Rio Tinto. However, this quarter could not reach the record output set in the last quarter of 2002 where the Pacific Coal longwall produced more than one million tonnes (80% share).
Rio Tinto's 80% share of Kestrel sales were 163,000 tonnes of thermal coal, 274,000 tonnes coking coal and 475,000 of semi-hard coking coal.
Overall production from the Australian and Indonesian coal operations was four percent below the second quarter of 2002. Coal and Allied halted production over Easter to reduce coal inventory levels caused by poor export market conditions.
Production of US open cut operations was four percent above the second quarter of 2002. Production and train availability had been affected by heavy rainfall in the second quarter of 2003.
