Coal

BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Arch Coal Inc. release their full year results for 2009 and look ahead to a better 2010 driven by demand from Asia.

Despite environmental concerns, India will increase its coal burn as power and coal shortages loom. However, the country must still face these environmental and market challenges.

Oracle Coalfields plc has announced that it has entered into two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to supply its lignite to two local customers: Karachi Electric Supply Co. (KESC) and Lucky Cement Ltd.

Peabody Energy has reported better than expected results for 2009. EBITDA was US$ 1.29 billion, while revenue totaled US$ 6.01 billion on sales of 243 million t. Asia is driving demand and will continue to do so in 2010. In the US, a recovering economy is expected to increase the raise consumption of coal by 60 – 80 million t.

Fernando Luiz Zancan, Brazilian Coal Association, Brazil, provides an overview of the country's coal industry and examines its future prospects.

Westar Energy has agreed to spend approximately US$ 500 million to significantly reduce harmful air pollution from a Kansas power plant and pay a US$ 3 million civil penalty under a settlement to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act.

February 2010: Kay Sever asks if companies really understand their improvement shortfalls?

A new type of continuous barge unloader (CBU) from ThyssenKrupp Fördertechnik will be put into operation at the Bontang Coal Terminal this Spring.

India Resources Ltd has signed a Letter of Intent with Bankura DRI Mining Manufacturers Co. Private Ltd for a 30 year contract worth about AU$ 500 million to develop and operate the Biharinath coal mine.

The global carbon market saw 82 billion t of CO2 equivalent exchange hands in 2009, and increase of 68% on the previous year. Despite this, however, the value of the global carbon market remained virtually unchanged on 2008 figures due to low carbon prices.

Bucyrus International Inc. has announced an agreement to buy the mining equipment business of Terex Corp. for US$ 1.3 billion in cash. The acquisition will create a premier supplier of mining equipment with an addressable market of US$ 30 billion and about 10,000 employees in 100 locations around the world.

UN committee recommends delaying the decision to include carbon capture and storage in Clean Development Mechanism.

US energy secretary, has announced the selection of three new projects to accelerate the development of advanced coal technologies with CCS at commercial-scale.

Doosan Babcock had announced it will undertake a major carbon capture project with Basin Electric Power Cooperative. The project will commence in January.

JFE Steel Corp. will acquire a 20% stake in the Byerwen coal project from QCoal Pty Ltd. JFE has also agreed an off-take contract that will supply JFE with 2 million tpa or premium hard coking coal from Byerwen.