Whitehaven Coal has posted record FY26 managed production of 40.1 million tonnes of saleable coal while coal prices fell 27 per cent and the Australian dollar strengthened 6 per cent against the US dollar. Underlying NPAT came in at $227 million and underlying EBITDA at $702 million, supported by a 9 per cent reduction in unit operating costs to $106 per tonne. For mine planners and operators, the result signals continued high utilisation of existing longwall and open-cut fleets despite weaker thermal and metallurgical coal markets.

Yancoal has reported record first-half attributable saleable coal production of 19.8Mt, up 5 per cent on 1H 2025’s 18.9Mt, and says the run-rate puts it on track for a new full-year output record across its NSW and Queensland thermal and metallurgical coal operations. Stronger operational performance and higher realised coal prices were partly offset by increased unit costs driven by labour, explosives and overburden removal. For mine planners and contractors, the figures signal sustained high stripping ratios and continued demand for drill-and-blast, haulage and CHPP throughput optimisation into 2027.

Record iron ore shipments of 201.3Mt from Fortescue’s Pilbara operations in FY26 drove a nine per cent rise in revenue to $US17 billion, supported by higher earnings and stronger free cash flow. The result comes as Fortescue continues heavy investment in its Western Australian mining hubs, rail network and port capacity to sustain volumes above 200Mtpa. For mine planners and contractors, the numbers signal ongoing demand for large-scale pit development, overburden movement and materials handling upgrades across the Pilbara assets.