Coal miner New Hope has lowered its 2025 financial year guidance, citing ongoing rail capacity and performance issues affecting its New Acland mine, in Queensland.

The ASX-listed miner, which also owns the Bengalla mine in New South Wales, reduced its saleable coal production forecast by 2%, and is now expecting between 10.58-million and 11.57-million tonnes for the year.

Its coal sales guidance has also been cut by 2% to between 10.41-million and 11.45-million tonnes.

New Hope lifted its group run-of-mine (RoM) production guidance by 3%, to a range of 15.93-million to 17.45-million tonnes.

At New Acland, RoM guidance was revised upwards by 8% to between 5.8-million and 6.65-million tonnes, reflecting improved mining performance. However, both saleable production and sales volumes were lowered, with coal sales now expected to be 10% lower than previously guided, at between 2.25-million and 2.65-million tonnes.

The company said New Acland faced “significant challenges with rail capacity over the quarter, driven by rail network constraints”, which led to a substantial inventory build-up at the mine’s train load-out facility.

“The company is working to secure additional rail pathing and haulage capacity in the West Moreton rail corridor to manage this issue,” New Hope stated.

“Major rail system outages planned for June and July, required for the Cross River Rail project, continue to have the potential to impact rail capacity and remain the most challenging issue in the short to medium term.”

Meanwhile, guidance for the Bengalla operation remains unchanged, with RoM production forecast at between 10.08-million and 10.80-million tonnes, and coal sales expected in the range of 8.16-million to 8.8-million tonnes.

New Hope stated that the Bengalla mine supply chain performance improved in the third quarter of the financial year. However, heavy rainfall in April impacted on rail and port operations, contributing to high stock inventory at the mine site. “Bengalla will seek to increase railing and shipping volumes in the next quarter to manage stockpiles on site,” the company said.

During the third quarter, the group’s saleable coal production was 2.8-million tonnes, which was in line with the previous quarter, bringing year-to-date output to 8.19-million tonnes.