The extension at the Queensland mine increases productive capacity of the mine by 400,000 tonnes per annum and extends life of the mine by 21 years.
As of the end of March the project was 99% complete, the company said in its latest quarterly production update.
LTCC equipment has arrived at the mine – which is a punch longwall, underground coal mine 190km southwest of Mackay.
It will progressively transition from a conventional longwall operation to the LTCC method to increase productivity.
LTCC – which is being used at Yancoal’s Austar mine and will be soon installed at Peabody Energy’s North Goonyella mine in Queensland – offers safety and productivity advantages, especially in mines with seams wider than 4m.
