US giant Peabody Energy has slashed another 170 positions from its Queensland and NSW coal operations, weeks after it cut 450 employees
The latest job cuts in the sector, which has been suffering from low commodity prices and high costs, takes the total positions lost from the industry over the past year to more than 11,000.
Peabody, the world's biggest privately-owned coalminer, also said it had cut a further 230 positions, which were yet to be filled, from the company.
“Peabody has announced that it is reducing its employee workforce numbers by eliminating 400 positions, approximately 170 employees, from its Australian operations,'' the company said.
“This difficult decision has been made in response to near-term global economic challenges.
“The reduction has been made to align the company's workforce size with other cost reduction activities, as part of a comprehensive cost management review to secure the long-term competitiveness of our operations.''
Following the job cuts last month, Peabody chairman and chief executive Greg Boyce criticised Australia's handling of the boom.
Mr Boyce said Australia now had the most expensive power in the developed world, while cost pressures, eroding productivity and a maze of project approval requirements had plagued new coal projects.
The company is expected to expand on its cost cutting measures when it released its quarterly earnings overnight.