The Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is seeking public comment on the Ashton expansion project and has made the environmental documentation available.
Yancoal subsidiary Ashton Coal Operations said the proposed southeast open cut was planned to produce 1.2-1.6Mtpa more than the northeast open cut it will replace.
The strong output of the Ashton longwall mine is behind the bid to lift the existing 5.2Mtpa approval of the complex to 8.6Mtpa.
“The Ashton underground mine is performing better than planned and can produce up to 5 million tonnes per annum in those years when there is only one longwall move required,” ACO said.
The expansion project also requires the construction of office and operations buildings, ROM coal facilities, access roads and water storage.
ACO is seeking to start the project as soon as possible given that it will provide continuing employment for the workers at the existing open cut.
“Therefore, there is minimal flexibility in timeframes for the commencement of the project,” the company said.
To execute the bigger open cut operations, Yancoal aims to replace one of its small excavators and fleet of trucks with larger equipment.
The company is seeking approval to operate the new open cut on a 24-7 basis.
The new open cut in the Hunter Valley will be immediately south of the Camberwell village and the New England Highway, and east of Vale’s Glennies Creek/Integra underground longwall operation.
The project area will remove 262 hectares of pasture and 25 hectares of native vegetation, driving the need for ACO to apply for federal environmental assessment.
Yancoal acquired ACO as part of its recent takeover of Felix Resources.
