PERTH (miningweekly.com) – South Korean firm Kepco has reportedly turned to the New South Wales Land and Environment Court in a bid to get its Bylong coal mine approved.
The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (IPC) in September refused development approval for the proposed 6.5-million tonne a year Bylong coal project, saying at the time that the project was not in the best interest of the public, despite its possible economic and social benefits.
The proposed project would consist of both an opencut and underground operation with a mine life of more than 25-years, extracting around 120-million tonnes of coal.
The project was expected to create 650 jobs during construction and a further 450 during operations.
The Newcastle Herald on Wednesday reported that Kepco was now seeking a judicial review from the Land and Environment Court under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
If the application is successful, the matter could be referred back to the IPC.