The new panels, LW 51 and LW 52, equate to 2.55 million tonnes run of mine – a little less than the estimated 3Mt ROM that the mine is no longer going to extract following the subsidence impacts the mine was blamed for in the Sugarloaf state conservation area.
Consequently the two new panels will not alter West Wallsend’s existing mine life. The new panels were selected by the mine after the adjacent Newstan Colliery terminated a sublease.
The mine remains approved for 5.5Mtpa of production.