A resources company claims one of its mines paid millions of dollars in coal royalties despite not making a profit under a controversial scheme, sparking more job cuts.

Queensland company QCoal is the third major miner in as many days to confirm layoffs, with one of its underground sites to be shut down in coming weeks.

The company took aim at the state government's coal royalties scheme after announcing the closure of one of Cook Colliery mine's two underground sites in central Queensland.

About 170 people are employed at the mine's two sites near Blackwater operated by Core Crew, with about half of the workers to be affected by the shutdown in early October.

It comes after Anglo American and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance announced job cuts and mine mothballing, with a total of about 1000 w

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