Xstrata produced 1.4 million tonnes of coking coal from Australia in the first three months of 2012, down 300,000 tonnes from the corresponding period last year.

The lower production was mainly due to the timing of longwall moves at the Oaky Creek underground complex in Queensland, the company said in its quarterly report.

The average price of Xstrata coking coal for the March quarter stood at $224.70 per tonne fob, down from the average price of $236.50 recorded in the first three months last year.

For the full year of 2011, Xstrata produced 7.6 million tonnes of coking coal with an average price of $265 per tonne fob.