Atlantic Coal production drops on cold winter

Atlantic Coal has announced a Q1 production and sales update for its Stockton anthracite mine in Pennsylvania as follows:

• Clean coal production of 35 757 short t (Q4 2013: 41,555 short t).
• Clean coal sales of 36 449 short t (Q4 2013: 42,280 short t).
• Clean coal stockpile stood at 2702 short t (Q4 2013: 2922 short t).
• ROM production of 85 270 short t (Q4 2013: 104 344 short t).
• ROM stockpile stood at 58 036 short t (Q4 2013: 59 791 short t).
• Bank cubic yards of overburden removed: 856 254 (Q4 2013: 911 568).

Commenting on the update, Steve Best, managing director of Atlantic Coal blamed the drop in Q1 volumes on problems caused by “the coldest and longest winter in Pennsylvania for 20 years”.

“Washing coal at temperatures consistently well below freezing proved to be particularly problematic and health and safety concerns, as well as practical considerations, also resulted in mining operations often having to be suspended or scaled back,” Best continued. "On a more positive note, trials on improving both mined coal and wash plant recoveries are progressing well. This, together with other operational improvements – including an over 40% reduction in blasting costs – give us confidence in our ability to achieve overall improvements in production, efficiency and profitability for the rest of 2014."

Adapted from press release by Jonathan Rowland

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/30042014/atlantic_coal_production_drops_q1_2014_on_cold_winter_coal777/