Profits loom as mining swaps exploration for production THERE has been a great deal of commentary about how we are transitioning towards a carbon-free society but the facts don't support this, and neither do the 30 per cent plus share price rises in the past couple of months of companies supporting the coal boom. In fiscal 2011, Australian production was about 300 million tonnes of both thermal and metallurgical coal, and this climbed to about 400 million in fiscal 2013 and is forecast to increase to over 500 million tonnes in fiscal 2017.