29 June 2017
South32 Ltd
Appin Colliery Suspension
South32 Limited (ASX, JSE, LSE: S32; ADR: SOUHY) (South32) advises that on 28 June 2017 we withdrew the Appin workforce from the mine as a precautionary measure. We subsequently confirmed that there was no gas exceedance or breach of gas limits. We notified the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (the Regulator) of the details of the withdrawal. The Regulator then issued a prohibition notice and expressed broader concern regarding the recent gas exceedance events and the operating practices of the Illawarra Metallurgical Coal operation. Safety is a core value and we are working, together with the Regulator, to address these issues.
Separately, we confirm that the Dendrobium mine remains in operation and that production guidance for FY17 remains on track with Illawarra Metallurgical Coal having produced 7.05Mt (sales 7.32Mt) to 28 June 2017. Consistent with past practice, we will provide production guidance for FY18 when we report our financial results on 24 August 2017.
About South32
South32 is a globally diversified mining and metals company with high quality operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America. Our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people's lives now and for generations to come. We are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources. We have a simple strategy to maximise the potential of our assets and shareholder returns by optimising our existing operations, unlocking their potential and identifying new opportunities to compete for capital.
