Coal production from Whitehaven Coal’s Queensland operations surged by 11 per cent during the September quarter, achieving 5.3 million tonnes (Mt) of run-of-mine (ROM) production.
This growth reflects improvements in operational efficiency and rail performance on the Goonyella line, which supported a 13 per cent increase in sales, reaching 3.6Mt for the quarter.
Daunia’s production saw a notable boost, rising by 28 per cent compared to the June quarter, driven by enhanced equipment productivity and coal processing.
Blackwater’s ROM production also increased by 5 per cent, with productivity improvements contributing to its strong performance. Sales from Blackwater reached 2.5Mt, up 11 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
Average coal pricing in Queensland rose to $259 per tonne, reflecting 84 per cent of the Platts premium low-volatility hard coking coal index, an improvement from the previous quarter’s 74 per cent.
In NSW, managed ROM production dipped by 12 per cent in line with the planned mine sequence for the 2024–25 financial year (FY25).
The focus at Maules Creek and Tarrawonga was on overburden removal, with ROM production and sales expected to ramp up in the second half of the fiscal year.
However, Narrabri performed well, posting a 5 per cent increase in ROM production and a 27 per cent rise in sales.
Overall, Whitehaven’s total equity coal sales for the quarter reached 6.4Mt, with a sales mix of 64 per cent metallurgical and 36 per cent thermal coal.
The company’s net debt stood at $1.2 billion at the end of the quarter, with proceeds from the 30 per cent sale of the Blackwater mine expected to further bolster capital management in the third quarter of FY25.
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