While the company will be implementing employee and staff training to support the core principles of the company’s “Yancoal Way” culture of safety, integrity, excellence, and innovation, there could be more job losses after the 92 positions that were lost at Donaldson.

In response to the negative impacts of the continued downturn, Yancoal has already restructured its Austar and Abel underground mines and transitioned the Stratford Duralie open cut operation from a contractor-operator model to owner-operated.

“The resulting changes in operations enabled Yancoal to implement significant cost management efficiencies and improved production rates for all three mines throughout the second half of the year,” Yancoal said in its latest half yearly report.

“Metallurgical and thermal coal market prices are expected to remain low for the year ahead, with cost reductions across operations remaining a priority.”

From 14 March, the Donaldson operation reduced its mining activities from the running of three mining units to two at its Abel underground mine, directly affecting 10 existing roles.

“Yancoal will work to redeploy immediately-affected employees to its neighbouring Ashton underground mine,” the company said.

“Yancoal will also commence offering voluntary redundancies across its Abel, Ashton and Austar underground operations prior to the move to care and maintenance, and is seeking expressions of interest from Donaldson employees willing to move to Austar and Ashton if new opportunities become available.”