** Shares of Whitehaven Coal WHC.AX rise 2.2% to A$6.165

** Stock on track for its best day in over two weeks, if gains hold

** Whitehaven posts 92.7% rise in its second-quarter production, aided by strong contributions from its mines in New South Wales and Queensland

** Co says its managed ROM coal production for the December quarter was 9.7 million metric tons, slightly ahead of the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of 9.5 million tons

** Stock rose as much as 4.6% earlier in the session

** Stock down 2.4% this year as of last close

(Reporting by Sherin Sunny in Bengaluru)

((Sherin.Sunny@thomsonreuters.com;))