Australian coal producer Xstrata has announced its production results for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2012. Accordingly, Xstrata's total consolidated coal production in the given quarter increased by 1.69 percent year on year to 24 million mt. In the first nine months of the current year, the company's total coal output increased to 67.4 million mt, rising by 8.53 percent year on year.
In the third quarter, Xstrata's total coking coal output from its Australian operations decreased by 33.3 percent to 1.6 million mt, while production from its South African thermal coal operations increased by 11.36 percent to 4.9 million mt, both on year-on-year basis. In January-September, Xstrata produced 5 million mt of coking coal from its Australian operations, down 9.1 percent, while its South African thermal coal output reached 14.3 million mt, up 11.7 percent, both year on year.
Meanwhile, Xstrata's total refined nickel production in the third quarter of 2012 increased to 22,872 mt, down 0.68 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, while refined nickel production of the company for the first nine months amounted to 68,351, decreasing by 0.29 percent year on year.