PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The New South Wales government has granted a new development consent that would allow the Bengalla coal mine to continue mining until 2038.
ASX-listed Wesfarmers, which is a 40% owner in the operation with Rio Tinto subsidiary Coal & Allied, the majority partner, said on Wednesday that the new development consent provided the potential to increase future employment, should the decision be taken to expand production from the current nine-million tonnes a year to the maximum approved limit of 15-million tonnes a year.
Wesfarmers Resources MD Stewart Butel said that the state government approval secured the long-term future for the mine and its workforce.
“This is very good news for the workforce of 400, their families and the local community. We have been an integral part of the Muswellbrook community since operations began 16 years ago, and we look forward to continuing this into the future.”
Butel pointed out that future operations at the Bengalla mine would move further away from the Muswellbrook community and onto land already owned by project partner Coal & Allied.