Source: ABC Tropical North/Aaron Kelly
Anglo American suspended production at its Grosvenor coking coal mine in Queensland, Australia, following a methane ignition on June 29, 2024. Local media reports showed smoke billowing from the shaft of the longwall mine and the fire continues to burn. The site, which employs 1,400, is expected to be closed for months.
The company said all emergency protocols were followed and the workforce was safely evacuated from the mine without injury. The mine team is working with specialist teams from the Queensland Mines Rescue Service and the regulatory authorities to extinguish the underground fire, prior to being able to assess the steps towards a safe re-entry into the mine.
Anglo American was expecting to produce 8 million metric tons (mt) of coking coal in the first half of 2024, of which 2.3 million mt were originating from Grosvenor. For 2024, production guidance for Anglo’s met coal business was 15 to 17 million mt, of which Grosvenor was expected to contribute 3.5 million mt. Lower production was expected in the second half of the year due to a longwall move.
