The Department of Planning said the project would extract up to 4.5 million tonnes per annum of run of mine (ROM) coal for a period of 21 years, using high productivity bord and pillar methods and continuous miners.
Donaldson Coal currently owns and operates the Donaldson open cut mine, which has current reserves expected to last until 2012.
The proposed mine will utilise existing areas within the Donaldson mine lease for surface infrastructure and the existing Bloomfield coal handling and preparation plant, rail loader and rail loop for coal processing and loading.
ROM coal will be transported via conveyor through the highwall to the surface infrastructure area located within the existing Donaldson and Bloomfield mine lease areas.
Coal will be transported to the existing Bloomfield CHPP where it will be processed and loaded onto rail.
Donaldson Coal said some expansion of Bloomfield’s CHPP will be required to cater for Abel coal, which will require an increase of approximately 30% of Bloomfield’s existing capacity.
