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The group’s metallurgical coal production guidance for 2022 is now expected to fall between 20mln and 22mln metric tonnes, with unit cost guidance of $85 a tonne

Anglo American PLC -

Anglo American has resumed operations at its Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia, more than 20 months after a methane explosion injured personnel and prompted a suspension of longwall mining.

The FTSE 100 miner said it received confirmation on February 16 from Resources Safety and Health Queensland that longwall mining operations could now resume.

Following the release of the Board of Inquiry’s report into the Grosvenor gas incident, the company had last year committed another A$5mln ($3.8mln) to improving safety at its underground coal mines.

Anglo American said its metallurgical coal production guidance for 2022 is now expected to fall between 20mln and 22mln metric tonnes. The unit cost guidance for 2022 has been raised from $80 to $85 a tonne. Unit cost in 2021 was $105 per tonne, the company said.

“Over the past 18 months, we have worked with leading industry experts and invested significantly in automation technology, remote operations, gas management and data analytics, introducing a number of advancements in the way underground coal mines can operate,” said Tyler Mitchelson, CEO of Anglo American’s metallurgical coal business.

Covid-19-related disruptions remain a risk to the figures, the company added.