The production/supply of Metallurgical coal is apparently what is most affected?
The Surat Basin in southern Queensland contains more than 4 billion tonnes of proven thermal coal resources in the Walloon Coal Measures and equivalents.
These resources are amenable to open-cut mining but are largely undeveloped.
The Galilee Basin, which is located to the west of the Bowen Basin in central Queensland, contains large resources of a range of thermal coals.
in 2006/2007 Japan continued to rate as the largest importer of Queensland coals. It imported 57.72 Mt, comprising 38.56 Mt of metallurgical coal and 19.16 Mt of thermal coal.
Thermal coal exports for the same period marginally increased from 42.82 Mt in 2005?06 to 42.83 Mt.
During 2006?07, a total of 54 mines (39 open-cut and 15 underground) contributed to the State?s coal production. All of the underground mines operating at the end of 2006?07 were located in the Bowen Basin. Most of these underground mines produce mainly coking coal products for export.
While the Bowen Basin is by far the most important source of coal in Queensland, the Surat Basin has large resources of potentially open-cut thermal coal.
The Callide, Clarence-Moreton and Tarong Basins are also important sources of thermal coal for domestic power generation.
Japan imported 19.16 Mt of thermal coal.
Korea imported 7.94 Mt of thermal coal.
India imported 0.37 Mt of thermal coal.
Europe imported 2.88 Mt of thermal coal.
All up Thermal coal exports for the period 05-06 marginally increased from 42.82 Mt in 2005?06 to 42.83 Mt.
One would assume these figures above may be higher now?
Apparently there are 40 mines affected by the floods, not sure how many of those are producing thermal coal?
But no doubt, some thermal coal producers would be affected and would have to terminate contracts with buyers that will have to look else where to places like i.e. South Africa possibly?
The thermal coal supply is shipped through Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal which will run out of coal by the weekend.
Cheers
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