A 31% y/y increase in fourth quarter production at Anglo American’s Capcoal operations, which includes the Grasstree mine, saw the company’s output of metallurgical coal increase by 4% to 4.9 million t in 4Q14. Overall, metallurgical coal production grew 12% for the year to 18.7 million t, as Capcoal again lead the way with a 26% bounce in annual production.
Growth in metallurgical coal production helped to boost overall coal production for the year by 1% to just over 100.2 million t.
Thermal coal production was much flatter with that destined for export growing by only 1% to 34.6 million t and thermal coal production for domestic use dropping 2% as demand from Eskom declined.
Written by Jonathan Rowland.