 "Coal is stockpiled at the Blair Athol mine at the remote Bowen Basin coalfield near Moranbah")
Coal India Ltd, the world's biggest coal miner by output, reported a higher-than-expected 14% rise in its consolidated quarterly net profit on higher sales.
Net profit rose to Rs 3,718 crores ($544.36 million) in the third quarter ended December 2015 from Rs 3,262 crores a year earlier, the company, majority owned by the Indian government, said in a statement on Thursday.
Analysts on average had expected a net profit of Rs 3197 crores, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters.
Consolidated net sales in the December quarter rose 6.8% from a year earlier to Rs 18,971 crores as despatches rose 10.7%.
($1 = 68.3000 Indian rupees)
