Anglo to resubmit Drayton expansion plan in early 2015
Diversified miner Anglo American is planning to submit a new proposal for the Drayton South mine at the beginning of next year, in the hope of ensuring employment for the 500 staff working at the mine.
The Drayton mine, in New South Wales, has been in operation since 1983 and produces about five-million tons of thermal coal a year, and, although the project currently has mine approval until 2017, Anglo American has said that its coal reserves would run out by 2015.
The expansion project, known as Drayton South, will increase production to seven-million tonnes a year, while extending the mine life by about 21 years.
The New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) has twice refused Anglo American’s application to expand the Drayton operation, stating in its October assessment that the development would negatively affect horse breeding operations.
Anglo American head of opencut operations Mark Heaton has told staff at the Drayton mine that the company has developed a mine plan which will see Drayton remain operational until early 2015, while the company is expected to submit a new project proposal for Drayton South.
“Looking first at the coal we have left at Drayton, we have developed an interim mine plan that would allow operations to continue until early next year, which satisfies our immediate employment challenges; however, for ongoing employment continuity, we require a speedy resolution for the Drayton South project.”
Heaton said that Anglo American believed that the revised project plan and conditions would address the PAC’s concerns in a “fair and reasonable” manner.
“We ask the New South Wales government to honour their recent comments about the need for planning reform and shorter project assessment periods, act on their statements about supporting the industry and approve the revised Drayton South proposal when it is lodged, to avoid pending job losses.”
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