Vale’s coal production down in 2014

Brazilian mining major, Vale, produced 8.6 million t of coal in 2014 – 1.4% lower than 2013 and 2.1 million t lower than its guidance for the year. The company attributed the drop in output to worse performance at its Carborough Downs mine and the stoppage of the Integra Coal mine in 2H14.

Production of metallurgical coal totaled 6.4 million t, while that of thermal coal was 2.2 million t.

Carborough Downs output dropped 600 000 t in 2014 after a longwall move in 1Q14 and difficulties related to the geological structure of the mine accessed in 4Q14. Overall, the mine produced 1.857 million t through the year.

In 2Q14, the Integra Coal mine was placed in care and maintenance with coal production finally ending in 3Q14. The last shipment from the mine occurred on 24 September 2014. The company’s Isaac Plains mine was also placed in care and maintenance in 3Q14 with opencast production continuing through 4Q14.

In Mozambique, production at Moatize hit a new record of 4.908 million t in 2014 – 3.124 million t of metallurgical coal and 1.784 million t of thermal coal. In 4Q14, the company successfully completed its first shipment of coal along the Nacala logistics corridor. The final brownfield upgrades to the line should be complete by 3Q15, allowing the ramp up to the mine’s nominal capacity of 11 million tpy.

Written by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/20022015/vale-coal-production-down-in-2014-coal1934/