Coal

Paul Baruya, IEA Clean Coal Centre, UK, provides a brief overview of the Russian coal industry. This article takes extracts from an original IEA report authored by Geoff Crocker.

Rio Tinto has acquired a majority interest in Riversdale Mining Ltd, delivering control of significant tier one coking coal projects. Rio Tinto’s shareholding in Riversdale passed 50% and may increase further with the takeover offer remaining open until 20 April 2011.

BP confirmed today that it has signed four new coalbed methane (CBM) production sharing contracts (PSCs) in the Barito basin of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

BHP Billiton has approved three key met coal projects in the Bowen casin in central Queensland, Australia.

Coal miners in Indonesia are urging the Government to delay its plans to introduce a rule limiting coal exports by quality.

FLSmidth has signed a contract in Jakarta worth in excess of US$ 135 million with PT Adaro Indonesia, a subsidiary of PT Adaro Energy Tbk., to supply material handling equipment to its coal mine in the Tanjung district of South Kalimantan, some 1000 km from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

Canadian mining company Teck Resources has lowered its coal and copper sales outlook for 2011.

The number of dead from a collapsed mine in southwest Pakistan has risen to 45, according to officials.

The global energy trade will feel the effects of the disasters in Japan as the global coal supply chain is disrupted and diverted.

China has increased its total production for the first two months of the year by 13.5%.

Peabody Energy has announced that the Mongolian Government has placed the company in the top tier of the short list of companies that pre-qualify to invest and cooperate in development of the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit.

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Justice Department have announced that Arch Coal Inc. has agreed to pay a US$ 4 million dollar penalty for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.

QR National Ltd (QRN), Australia’s biggest coal hauler, has announced net profit of AU$ 278 million in the six months ending December 2010, compared to a loss of AU$ 132 million last year.

The first coalbed methane (CBM) to energy project in Russia celebrated its grand opening in Kemerovo Oblast.

Shell has published its report Signals and Signposts.