Mining regulator Ingeominas told Reuters that production totaled 23 million tonnes, and exports were also up nearly 25% to 21Mt during the same time period.

The top performing region was the Guajira province, the regulators told the news service, with a 17% rise in output to 8.9Mt versus the same period last year. Guajira is the home to Cerrejon, the country’s largest exporter.

Drummond's La Loma and El Descanso mines produced about 16% more in the third period, jumping to 5.9Mt, while Glencore’s operations jumped almost 70% to 3.8Mt.

The regulator said all three exported all of their production between July and September.

For the first nine months, Colombia’s mines produced 63.6Mt, up 11%, and exports rose 12% to 58.8Mt, the agency told Reuters.

While it did not indicate an impetus for the improvements, the country’s production usually is affected by the seasonal factors in the US and Europe, its top markets, as well as global demand.

Colombia's coal industry is led primarily by thermal producers Glencore, Drummond and Cerrejon, which each have their own production infrastructure and rail facilities.