MARKETS

Cockatoo extends uncertainty

COCKATOO Coal has extended its funding-related trading halt for the third time in 2015 so far - l...

Blair Price
Cockatoo extends uncertainty

The small Queensland producer of pulverised coal injection-grade metallurgical coal and thermal coal has applied to extend the halt by one week for two consecutive Tuesdays as of yesterday, while the original halt started back in mid-November.

Last month there was press speculation that Cockatoo not only retrenched 40 contractors but was “increasingly unlikely” to clinch a long-flagged funding deal with ANZ.

About a year ago Cockatoo outlined key conditions of a proposed $A255 million Baralaba expansion project finance facility from ANZ that included gaining regulatory approvals, securing offtake agreements for at least 75% of output, a continued commitment from partner JFE Steel and sufficient financing to fund project development to a “P50 contingency”.

Cockatoo received federal environmental approval for the project on December 22 but has not yet won Queensland environmental and mining licence approvals.

While low coal prices are an expected hurdle for the financing talks, Cockatoo is also locked into a contract to rail 3Mtpa of coal to Wiggins Island Export Coal Terminal which will burn cash if the Baralaba expansion project does not go ahead.

The 27 million tonnes per annum coal export facility was expected to start shipping coal in November last year, but that month it was pushed back to March 15.

The Baralaba expansion project aims to lift output from 1 million tonnes per annum to 3.5Mtpa.

TOPICS:

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production