Nippon Steel, JFE Steel to invest $1bn in Australian coal mine

Japanese steelmakers want higher quality coking coal to cut CO2 emissions

20240822 Blackwater mining in Australia

Nippon Steel and JFE Steel will buy stakes in Whitehaven's Blackwater coal mine in Australia to secure supplies of high-grade coking coal. (Nippon Steel)

TAMAYO MUTO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's Nippon Steel and JFE Steel announced Thursday that they will invest a total of $1.08 billion in a coal mine owned by Australian coal producer Whitehaven, aiming to secure long-term supplies of high-quality coking coal.

Nippon Steel will buy a 20% stake in the Blackwater coal mine for $720 million, while JFE Steel will invest $360 million for a 10% interest. The Blackwater mine is an open-cut mine in Queensland, on the east coast of Australia. It produces around 12 million to 13 million tonnes a year of run-of-mine coal.

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