Coal

Xstrata Coal has agreed to acquire the Sukunka hard metallurgical coal deposit from Talisman Energy Inc. for US$ 500 million in cash, subject to customary conditions.

The Australian Takeovers Panel has published a Declaration and Orders that allows FLSmidth to proceed with its offer of AU$ 11/share for Australian company Ludowici Ltd.

Arch Coal Inc. has announced that its chairman and CEO, Steven F. Leer, will retire as CEO effective 26 April 2012, the date of the company's annual shareholders meeting.

Petmin has signed a renewable five-year agreement that will enable it to export up to 600,000 tpa of metallurgical anthracite from Grindrod Terminals Kusasa dry bulk facility in Richards Bay.

Drax Group plc has abandoned plans for a dedicated biomass power plant, but pledged to invest £50 million to increase its biomass co-firing capacity.

February 2011: Time is usually regarded as a negative in any business endeavor – the quicker, the better. After all, time is money (right?). Balancing the ‘time required for sustainable change’ with a ‘schedule for change’ is almost always an exercise in conflict.

Coal production and exports in Colombia rose last year, with predictions that production will hit 97 million t in 2012.

Ludowici, an Australian mining equipment supplier, finds itself in the centre of a bidding war between FLSmidth and the Weir Group.

Xstrata is offering to sell 20% of the proposed AU$ 6 billion Wandoan coal mining project in Queensland.

Cockatoo Coal’s Collingwood and Taroom projects have received “significant project” status from the Government of Queensland.

After failing to reach agreements over job security miners in Australia have declared a seven day strike at BHP coking mines.

Gerrit Lok, Hatch Africa’s director for coal gives an analysis of global coking coal demand and supply trends.

Beacon Hill Resources Plc., has announced a new find at Minas Moatize.

Patriot Coal Corp. has idled its Big Mountain complex in West Virginia citing weak demand.

Xstrata has announced record production from its Australian thermal coal operations following the successful commissioning of the Mangoola mine. Production in Colombia was also up on the previous year, but down in South Africa where industrial action and restructuring saw production drop by 3%.