Wesfarmer's Q2 coal production rises

Wesfarmers Ltd's total coal production rose in the full year, as the miner continued to recover from the ongoing impact of Cyclone Oswald.

For the 12 months to June 30, total coal production was 13.73 billion tonnes, up from 12.44 billion tonnes in the 2012 financial year.

But total coal production slipped in the second quarter to 3.74 million tonnes, 1.97% lower than the previous corresponding period, despite a progressive ramp-up in production over the three months to June 30, in the wake of the cyclone.

At the Curragh mine, total coal production for the year lifted 2.3% to 7.38 million tonnes, after Wesfarmers expanded the facility's export metallurgical coal capacity.

Steaming coal production at Curragh rose 21.1% in the three months to June 30, compared to the previous corresponding period, while metallurgical coal production at the mine fell 15.7.

In Bengalla, Wesfarmers' share of coal production for the quarter lifted 18.7% to 902,000 tonnes from the previous corresponding period.

Wesfarmer's share price has lifted by 5.7% to $38.94 (see Cliona O'Dowd's Collected Wisdom).