【Aurizon Secures Long-Term BMA Coal Haulage Contract With Annual Capacity of up to 37 Mt】

Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry said thermal power plants had received 17.8 Mt of coal since 1 May 2026, while 1.2 Mt had been supplied to the communal sector. Current stocks stand at 4.1 Mt at thermal power plants and 0.3 Mt in the communal sector. Kazakhstan is preparing a comprehensive action plan to ensure stable coal deliveries during the heating season, with a focus on uninterrupted supply to energy and communal facilities and efficient railway use during peak demand. Kaztemirtrans operates 29,000 open wagons, which the Ministry considers sufficient for coal deliveries to power plants, households and industry. The Energy Ministry has also launched a unified digital system to track coal from extraction through transportation, delivery and sale.

The Queensland Government has allowed the Environmental Impact Statement for the Isaac Downs Extension project to proceed to public consultation, with submissions open from 19 August to 29 September 2026. Proposed by Stanmore ID Extension Pty Ltd, the project involves the development of an open-cut coal mine southwest of the existing Isaac Downs Mine （IDM）, with planned run-of-mine coal production of 2–4.5 Mtpa over a 15-year mine life. The project would be integrated into the Isaac Plains Complex (IPC) and use existing infrastructure, including the coal handling and preparation plant, train-loading facility, rail loop, internal haul roads and water and power connections. However, it remains in the environmental assessment stage. The proponent must respond to public submissions before an EIS assessment report is completed, while Commonwealth approval is also required.

Yancoal Australia reported attributable saleable coal production of 19.8 Mt for the first half of 2026, up 5% year on year and representing a first-half production record. Attributable coal sales increased 20% to 19.8 Mt, including a 22% increase in thermal coal sales to 16.8 Mt and a 9% increase in metallurgical coal sales to 3.1 Mt. The company’s average realised thermal coal price increased 4% to A$143/t, while its metallurgical coal price rose 4% to A$216/t. The overall realised coal price increased 3% to A$154/t. Higher volumes and prices lifted revenue by 13% to A$3.024 billion and operating EBITDA by 29% to A$767 million. Profit after tax nevertheless declined 90% to A$17 million due to A$272 million of non-operating items, most of which the company described as non-cash accounting items. Yancoal maintained its 2026 attributable saleable production guidance of 36.5–40.5 Mt and expects output to be in the upper half of the range. Higher diesel prices are expected to push cash operating costs into the upper half of the A$90–98/t guidance range.