
Illawarra Metallurgical Coal: a flying start
BOTH the 2019 half year results and March quarter results for South32 bode well for the year ahead, with chief executive Graham Kerr confident of an achievable production guidance for 2019. “For the full year we’ve increased production guidance at Illawarra Metallurgical Coal by 7 per cent with production guidance unchanged for all other operations,” he said. “We’ve also lowered unit cost guidance for most operations as we maintain operating discipline and benefit from a stronger US dollar.” Saleable production at Illawarra for the March quarter increased by 68 per cent and 2033kt to 5Mt in the nine months ended March 2019, and was set to produce 6.5kt as it started on the extraction of new panels at both Appin…