The stage two project aims to expand the mine’s approved capacity from 12 million tonnes run-of-mine to 16Mtpa ROM with a total of 4Mtpa permissible from two proposed underground operations.

While the open cut mine-based stage one approval allowed for 21 years of mining, the stage two project aims to extend the life of the surface and underground mine complex up to 2038.

In the latest step of the project’s greentape journey, the NSW planning department has reviewed the most recent changes and last week referred the modified project to the PAC for final assessment.

This department had previously referred the project to the PAC in February, with this commission referring it back to the department in May after making various recommendations.

In its recent decision to refer the project back to the PAC, the department noted that Yancoal had sufficiently modified its out-of-pit emplacement area to reduce impacts to endangered ecological communities.

The department also updated the noise and air-related criteria for the project to be in line with recent government policy.

Development of the second stage project, with Yancoal aiming for first longwall coal in 2018, is expected to create 200 construction jobs and 122 operational jobs.