With lead times for mining machinery an ever present problem for coal operations in the current mining climate, Resource Pacific is waiting its turn - expecting to receive a $23 million delivery of four continuous miners and eight shuttle cars by mid-2007.

The continuous miners have been ordered from Joy Mining Machinery and are off-the-shelf 12CM12s, according to Jury, who says the single pass machines will have a 5.2m-wide head and weigh about 73 tonnes each.

"Being a single pass machine, we expect the development rates to be equivalent to what we normally do, maybe a little better - between 12 to 15 metres per eight-hour shift," he said.

"This whole new fleet is going to be used for development ahead of the longwall blocks. We have been using older Joy machinery in the mine [12CM11s], but they're quite aged so these will be taking their place."

The eight 10SC32BCs shuttle cars, also ordered from Joy, have a 16.4t payload and are fitted with suspension - an important feature these days, according to Jury.

Equipment for construction of the longwall has arrived at the mine and is currently undergoing compatibility tests before its scheduled installation this October, he said.

"It's quite exciting times actually, the testing will go on for a few weeks and then the equipment gets sent away for retesting, then it will be down the mine for underground installation."

Jury said so far the company's focus on completing the longwall mine has had minimal disruption on the Newpac No. 1 Colliery bord and pillar operation, which will continue to produce coal alongside the longwall mine.

Resource Pacific has entered into a take or pay arrangement with Port Waratah Coal Services for port allocation, which will accommodate the first two years of longwall production.