“With production records at Angus Place and Mandalong, supported by export projects which are on time and on budget, Centennial is well advanced with our strategic objective to achieve a balanced portfolio of export and domestic sales,” Centennial managing director Bob Cameron said.

ROM production was 16% higher than the 2008 September quarter while sales increased 27% to 4.7Mt.

Angus Place lifted production 18% to 1.17Mt, above expectations. The impressive production rate was helped along by record monthly output of 409,991t in July.

The New South Wales miner put the improvements down to consistency as improved longwall production rates were achieved following the full introduction of the longwall automation system.

Roadway development was 2322 metres for the quarter, representing a healthy float, and the maingate panel continued to experience good mining conditions, with the installation road now turned away in preparation for the next longwall panel.

Mandalong set a new quarterly production record of 1.598Mt and also achieved a strong development performance.

The current longwall will be completed during December, with development of the next panel on track.

Mandalong is also looking forward to exporting some of its production via the Newstan facilities by the 2010 June quarter with construction of the haul road linking the Cooranbong coal handling facilities to the Newstan-Eraring Haul Road on track.

Construction work on the Cooranbong coal handling plant also started during the quarter.

At the Springvale longwall, production was down to 603,000t after a changeover early in the quarter.

Centennial said, following an area of poor geology experienced during the completion of LW412, Springvale management had revised the mine’s production schedule for the remaining nine months of the 2010 financial year by reducing some planned shutdown periods to ensure production targets were met.

As a result of adverse ground conditions encountered in the development of LW413, a mid-block changeover will be carried out in the March 2010 quarter.

The Clarence underground mine produced 543,000t during the September quarter with almost all sold to the export market.

The mine is looking forward to the arrival of three new King shuttlecars fitted with ergo-pods and a Joy Flexible Conveyor Train during the 2010 financial year, with the first of the shuttlecars delivered in September and the FCT arriving in the new year.

The Charbon mine produced 336,000t during the quarter as work continued into extending the mine life beyond the current 4-5 years. The environmental assessment for the extension will be submitted in the December quarter.

All of Awaba’s 214,000t of production in the quarter was exported, while smaller mines Mannering and Myuna made contributions of 212,000t and 293,000t respectively.

The newly opened Ivanhoe North open cut made a small contribution of 45,000t.

Centennial continued to make progress on its development projects with a prefeasibility study due in the first quarter of next year for Awaba East, now renamed the Newstan Lochiel project.

Construction works at Airly are well advanced, with bulk earthworks for the rail loop 95% complete.

The surface coal handling system is under construction, with the civil engineering earthworks completed and procurement of equipment and steel fabrication substantially completed for delivery in the December quarter.

Construction has advanced on the installation of conveyors, the ROM coal crusher station and the tunnel coal reclaim system.

Installation of the mine’s electrical power supply system is progressing and surface earthworks have started for the underground mining infrastructure, with construction of the mine portal underway.

Centennial was optimistic in its outlook with the strength of semi-soft markets helping maintain a stable thermal coal market.

“The company continues to receive strong enquiries for coal to be shipped via Port Kembla and Port Newcastle, including enquiries for new supply in the 2010 calendar year. This was recently demonstrated with Centennial securing a new 10-year Taipower contract to deliver 500,000 tonnes per annum,” the company said.

Centennial was trading down 3.63% midday at $A3.19.