Australia’s Qld coal exploration falls for fifth time

Australian developers spent A$55mn ($36mn) on coal exploration projects in Queensland — the country's main coking coal-producing region — over July-September, down 7.9pc on the year, marking the fifth consecutive quarterly decline, due to weak prices and high royalties.

Mining firms have invested A$145mn in coal exploration projects since the start of 2025, down 22pc on the year, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Producers in the state have faced elevated royalty rates and coal price volatility this year, reducing incentives for new investment.

Argus' metallurgical coal premium hard low-volatile fob Australia price fell from $200.80/t on 2 January to $166/t on 20 March, before recovering to $189.25/t by the end of September.

But the modest April-September price recovery has offered little relief. Australian miners QCoal and BHP both placed Queensland mines into care and maintenance in September, citing coal price weakness and high royalty rates.

BHP — which operates mines through the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance joint venture — also told investors on 19 August that the state's royalty regime limits the financial benefit of price increases.

The company halted new coal investments in Queensland soon after the government reformed its progressive royalty regime in 2022, which raised marginal royalty rates at most price levels.

BHP may not been alone. Whitehaven Coal, which operates mines in Queensland and New South Wales, said in late August that the state's royalty regime encourages producers to invest outside Queensland.

Three other producers (see table) have sought royalty relief or downsized operations since early 2025, citing royalty and cost pressures.

More broadly, coal producers' spending on business purchases, community payments, and government payments fell by A$5.2bn in the 2024-25 financial year to 30 June. This likely reflects a minor investment decline, as royalty payments also dropped by about A$5bn over the year.

Queensland's government has pledged to maintain the state's current royalty regime — introduced before it took office — until at least the next state election in 2028.

"[Queensland's] Government is providing certainty for the coal industry in Queensland with faster decisions, streamlined approvals and a stable royalty regime, exactly as we committed before the election," state treasurer David Janetzki told Argus on 2 December.

By Avinash Govind