Located near Lithgow in the western coalfields, the continuous miner operation has requested the NSW Department of Planning to increase its haulage allowance from 200,000 tonnes to 500,000t per year.

The opportunity for public submissions closed last week.

The increased tonnages would mean an increase in the number of trucks to and from the colliery and a second front-end loader to load the trucks. Modifications to two intersections would also be required.

Clarence expects the project, if approved, to cost $A2.4 million.

While the mine will continue to export the bulk of its product, the request to increase road haulage is part of a plan to capitalise on demand from domestic customers for its specific coal product used in industrial applications.

Centennial expects demand to increase from domestic customers, as well as buyers further afield, since the nearby Blue Mountains and Ivanhoe collieries have closed and no longer supply the market.

Centennial has submitted an environmental assessment, prepared by RW Corkery & Co, to the department in support of the application.

In the 2009 financial year, Clarence produced record run-of-mine output of 1.9 million tonnes using the place-changing mining method in both development panels and partial extraction panels.

Mid next year the mine will introduce a Joy flexible conveyor train, which is expected to deliver about 300,000t of additional export coal.