Xstrata (XTA. L), the miner stated that coal production declined by six percent in 2010 with thermal coal output impacted by severe weather in the first quarter and in the month of December.

Total combined coal production declined to 79.9 million tons although the Anglo-Swiss miner came up with annual production records for coking coal and semi-soft coking coal.

The production report had nothing to say on the miner's ongoing operations in Queensland after the Australian state was affected by severe flooding this month. Xstrata has copper, coal and zinc operations in Queensland.

Total mined copper production went up by 0.7 percent to nine hundred thirteen thousand and five hundred tons even in the midst of challenging operating conditions at some of its South American operations.

Both coal and copper are Xstrata's most profitable products.

On January 20, the largest miner of the world, BHP Billiton (BHP. AX) (BLT. L), stated that its coal production fell almost by thirty three percent in the last quarter and moreover flooding in Australia will take a toll on its production at its coal mining operations for at least six more months.

BHP Billiton is biggest overall coal producer in the world but Xstrata has the most financial exposure with almost thirty three percent of core profit coming from coal.

Xstrata, the miner of Anglo-Swiss origin is expected to come up with nearly ninety percent hike in full-year net profit to $5.23 billion, as stated by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S on the basis of forecasts taken from as many as eighteen analysts, when it releases its results on February 8.

Mining giant Xstrata produced more semi-soft coking coal, coking coal, mined nickel and refined nickel in 2010 than ever before, while lead, copper and ferrochrome increase from the year earlier.