Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX:WES) has downgraded its forecast production at the Curragh metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, blaming unseasonal rainfall and a mechanical failure.
The conglomerate now expects coal sales volume to reach between 5.1 million and 5.4 million tonnes in the 12 months to 30 June.
The guidance is down from Wesfarmers forecast last month of between 5.8 million to 6.2 million tonnes.
Wesfarmers advises that it is continuing to de-water the affected areas and expects operations to return to full production from July 2011.
In the first six months of the 2011 financial year, Wesfarmers booked a net profit of $1.2 billion.
