Coal production in Colombia dropped by 11.2% Y-o-Y to 60 MnT this year (January – September, 2013), mainly due to large-scale strikes led production and transport disruption.
Colombia, World’s fourth largest exporter of the coal, had this year an annual target of 94 MnT which rose from last year’s 89.2 MnT. Due to the long stoppages in mining operations significant gap has been made to cover production target. Colombia will speed up production in the fourth quarter to complete the annual target.
The first three quarters of last year, Colombian production up 67.6 MnT, but this year, due to Drummond and Correjon up to several weeks or even a month strike makes a wide gap in coal production.
Correjon is Colombia’s largest coal producer, is one by the Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Glencore Resources Group, a joint operation of the enterprise, the company is expecting that this year it will be difficult to achieve production targets. The second largest coal producer in the United States is Drummond.
In the first nine months of the government coal royalty income fell by 28% Y-o-Y to USD 423 million, mainly due to the international coal prices led to decline production.
Colombian coal are mainly exported to Europe, the Andean country’s economy is its second largest source of foreign exchange.
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