Australia rains hit coal mine output

Heavy rains in Australia’s eastern Queensland state have caused two major coking and thermal coal producers, Rio Tinto and Xstrata, to declare force majeure on exports this week after a rail haul line was shut last week due to flooding.

Torrential rains and flooding in the state, which produces about half of the world’s coking coal, used for making steel, have cut rail haulage lines and other infrastructure and shut mines and ports handling both coking and thermal coals.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1143011/australia-rains-hit-coal-mine-output