QUALITY CONTROL

Coal sector failing to overturn China’s import testing

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 9-May-16

Greg Evans of the Minerals Council of Australia says China should either abandon its policy of testing the quality of imported coal or allow shipments to be tested before they depart for China. He adds that the quality control tests contributed to a decline in Australia’s coal exports to China to just 71.2 million tonnes in 2015, compared with 93.4 million tonnes in 2014. The Australian Government has also lobbied China to drop the policy, which was introduced in early 2015.

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

BHP says China coal tests hurt free trade

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 2-Nov-15

China’s introduction of quality-testing for imported coal has had no direct impact on BHP Billiton, whose shipments have been cleared. However, BHP executive Shaun Verner believes that some coal exporters have had to sell coal at significantly lower prices in other markets after failing to pass China’s new quality control requirements. He notes that the slump in the price of metallurgical coal means it is costly for a coal producer to have a shipment rejected.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Palmer urges firmer action against China over coal tests

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 13-Jul-15

China recently increased stricter standards for coal imports, and is now testing shipments for the presence of trace elements such as fluorine, arsenic and mercury. China has already rejected at least one coal shipment from Australia, and federal MP Clive Palmer says Australia should impose a tariff on iron ore exports to China in response to the new testing regime. Meanwhile, there is speculation that Canada will take the matter to the World Trade Organization.

CORPORATES
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, CANADA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT, ANGLO AMERICAN COAL, WARATAH COAL INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP INCORPORATED

Chinese coal quality rules may hit exporters

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 18 : 13-Jan-15

The ANZ Bank’s Mark Pervan says China’s move to impose quality-control restrictions on coal shipments may adversely affect Australian coal producers. China plans to crack down on the importation of coal whose ash content exceeds 16 per cent. Some 92 per cent of the 40.3 million tonnes of coal imported from Australia in the first 10 months of 2014 exceeded this threshold. Pervan notes that it is costly for producers to subject coal to greater processing in order to reduce its ash content

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, CHINA. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM COMMISSION

A pain in the glass for Grocon

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 13-Jun-14

Grocon has experienced quality control problems with glass used in the construction of a 12-storey office tower in the Melbourne CBD. The developer has agreed to replace about 50 per cent of the heat-tempered glass due to flaws in its manufacture. The building is being constructed on behalf of the GPT Wholesale Office Fund

CORPORATES
GROCON PTY LTD, GPT WHOLESALE OFFICE FUND NUMBER ONE, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, APN PROPERTY GROUP LIMITED – ASX APD, CHINA SOUTHERN GLASS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD