Run of mine coal production improved considerably to 0.55 million tonnes in the quarter compared to 0.29Mt in the June quarter.
Saleable production for the quarter was 0.47Mt.
The longwall successfully mined through a known strata weighting area in the panel by increasing its speed and reducing the amount of caved coal in the section.
When the longwall completes mining the current panel in the stage 2 section it is scheduled to undergo maintenance and then move into the stage 3 area.
The changeover is currently planned to occur in the first half of next year, therefore output in the period will be lower than normal levels.
The in-strata belt drift for the underground bin required for the stage 3 area is almost complete, according to Yancoal.
“The next step will be to commence the construction of the in-strata bin and introduce a raise bore machine to mine out the full dimensions of the bin,” Yancoal said in its quarterly report.
“Lining of the Kitchener shaft, which will become the up cast ventilation shaft [4.5m diameter] in the new area, is complete and raise boring of the services shaft [1.5m diameter] is about 25 per cent complete.”
In March, Austar’s stage 3 modification to project approval was granted by the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
Yancoal says the stage 3 modification will enable the mine to extract coal more efficiently and safely by reorientating the stage 3 longwalls.
The modification includes removal of original longwall A6 and extraction of coal in longwalls A7 to A19, which are a reorientation of previously approved longwalls A7 to A17 to more closely align with the direction of principal stress.
The chain pillar widths will also be increased from 45m to 55m to reduce roadway failure risks which in turn further minimise subsidence.
According to Yancoal, the proposed stage 3 modification will remain entirely within its approved leases and involves a change to the stage 3 mine plan only, with no proposed changes to underground mining method, total approved rate or quantity of extraction, or associated surface infrastructure.
