BHP Australia coal miners hold third day of strikes before starting talks
More than 1,000 workers at two BHP Billiton coking coal mines in Australia staged a third day of strikes in a dispute that is disrupting production from the world’s largest exporter of the steelmaking commodity.
Analysts believe the industrial action, added to the 15% cut in annual production caused by monsoon rains and a cyclone, will support rampant prices for steel-making coal which hit an all-time high in April of $330 per tonne. Metallurgical coal accounts for A$24.5bn of the Australia’s A$202.17bn in total annual goods exports.