PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) will make the final decision on ASX-listed Yancoal’s Ashton coal project after the state’s Department of Planning and Environment recommended that the project be approved with strict conditions.
The Ashton coal mine currently has an underground production capacity of over 1.5-million tonnes a year, which was sold to a number of Asia-based steel mills. Opencut mining from the North East opencut operation started in 2004 and completed in early 2011.
The South East opencut operation was proposed to be a replacement source of opencut coal and could produce up to 3.6-million tonnes a year of run-of-mine coal, over a seven-year mine life.
The PAC initially approved the project in 2012; however, the Hunter Environment Lobby appealed this decision in the Land and Environment Court.
The New South Wales Land and Environment Court in 2014 ruled that no development work associated with the proposed opencut operation could occur until Yancoal had acquired the property, which was currently held by a private owner.
The New South Wales Court of Appeals in November last year upheld the Land Court ruling.