Kestrel Coal Resources, a metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia, produced 5.57 million tonnes (mt) of saleable coal in 2023, a 2% decrease compared to 5.67 mt in 2022, according to its parent company Adaro Energy.
Production Highlights:
- 2023 Production: 5.57 mt (down 2% from 2022)
- October-December 2023: 1.41 mt (up 15% compared to Q4 2022)
- 2022 Production: 5.67 mt (below guidance of 6.20 mt due to production issues)
Challenges:
- High clay content in processed coal: Reduced yield and throughput capacity in 2023.
- Missed production guidance in 2022: Initial target of 7.0 mt revised downward to 6.20 mt due to production issues.
Sales:
- Top destinations in 2023: Japan, India, South Korea (different from 2022, when India was the largest customer).
- October-December 2023: 1.55 mt (up 14% compared to Q4 2022).
Additional Information:
- The mine ships its coal via Queensland’s Blackwater railway to Gladstone port.
- Adaro Energy and EMR Capital acquired Kestrel in 2018, marking Adaro’s first venture outside Indonesia and expansion into metallurgical coal.
- The mine produces premium hard coking coal with low ash and phosphorus content.
- Mitsui & Co holds the remaining 20% interest in the Kestrel joint venture.
Overall, Kestrel Coal Mine faced challenges in 2023 due to high clay content in processed coal, leading to lower production than the previous year. Despite this, production increased in the last quarter of 2023, and the mine continues to be a significant producer of high-quality metallurgical coal for various Asian markets.
Source: TheCoalTrader, AI generated
