Watermark mine, Shenhua Energy, Liverpool Plains

Watermark mine is conditionally approved and will have a 30-year life span. 10 million tonnes of coal will be produced a year and will rely on the port of Newcastle.

Although the project was severely criticised, the project is currently still going ahead. The Chinese company has yet to conduct surveys, dig tests, geotechnical drilling, or infrastructure, but there has been some suggestion that preconstruction will begin anyway.

Vickery mine, Whitehaven, Namoi Region.

The Vickery Extension project looks to extend the open cut operations of an approved site. Following approvals, the project is expected to begin in 2020.

Whitehaven has said the extension will generate 500 jobs, 75% of whom will live locally.

The project includes a new coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) onsite at Vickery and new rail spur to service the mine.

Wallarah 2 mine, Korea resources, Central Coast catchment

A proposed underground mining operation northwest of central Wyong on the Central Coast. This project was approved in January 2018 and is set to provide extensive economic and social benefits to Wyong, the wider Central Coast Region and NSW communities through job creation and business opportunities.

70% of the 800 jobs will be recruited locally and the company have stated they will support youth employment through its apprenticeship and traineeship program.

Mangoola Continuation, Glencore, Wybong, far Upper Hunter

Mangoola Coal is seeking approval for the Mangoola Coal Continued Operations (MCCO) Project to expand its current approved open cut mining project.

The mine is expected to run until 2030, with 480 jobs to run the mine, and a further 145 construction opportunities.

The expansion plans have been displayed to the public for consultation and now in the hands of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) are reviewing all submissions.

United Wambo, Glencore/Peabody, Central Hunter

The $381 million United Wambo Coal Project has received a conditional approval for an additional 150 million tonnes of run-of-mine (ROM) coal over a 23-year period.

It would provide 500 full-time-equivalent jobs. Peabody will continue to operate the Wambo underground, the coal handling and preparation plant and rail facilities.

Hume Coal, POSCO, Southern Highlands

The project plans to establish a high-tech underground mining facility producing 3 million tonnes per year. The project will apparently use a first-workings extraction method that is designed to preserve the long-term stability of the surrounding area.

In full production the Hume Coal Project will employ 300 people when in full production of which 70% will be locally sourced with no FIFO/DIDO options.

The project did receive a large amount of disapproval during a public hearing regarding the water situation, but POSCO remain confident that the mine will be approved.

Dendrobium, South32, Sydney’s water catchment

South 32 are seeking an extension to an approved mining lease with two new underground mining areas. The extension will provide a further 100 jobs to the 400 already employed in that area.

The extension will produce round 78 million tonnes of coal a year for the next 30 years. South 32 believe that this extension is critical to the steel making industry, as the mine has a direct input into BlueScope steel. 

Glendell expansion, Glencore, near Hunter Valley

Glencore proposes to seek approval to extend open cut mining operations. This would extract an additional 140 million tonnes of coal and extend the operating life of this infrastructure to 2045

If approved, construction is likely to begin in 2021, and could have up to 600 opportunities once the mine is in full production.

The project is still Pre-Environmental Impact Statement stage.

Rixs Creek Extension, Rixs Creek coal, near Singleton, Hunter Valley

After six years of applying for approval, four of them being assessment processes, the application was accepted, but then rejected just hours later due to “human error”.

The project is to extend the life of mine for the 300 workers on site.

NSW Planning Minister, Orb Stokes, has asked for an immediate review of the commission.

Dartbrook, Australia Pacific Coal

The company has lodged an application to modify the existing mining approval to recommence underground mining operations at the Dartbrook Coal Mine. The modification also seeks to extend the period of approval by 5 years.

The environmental assessment, along with other supporting documentation, was submitted and accepted for adequacy in June 2018. In January 2019, the NSW Department of Planning & Environment provided a positive recommendation on the proposed modification and referred the modification to the Independent Planning Commission.

The modification is currently under assessment by the Independent Planning Commission for determination.

Russell Vale, Wollongong Coal

Wollongong Coal has submitted a revised underground expansion plan, final revised preferred project report and response to the second Planning Assessment Commission review for its Russell Vale colliery.

The mine has been under care and maintenance since 2015, and with closures to its other mines in the area, Wollongong Coal will be hoping that this project receives approval soon for a 2019 start up.

Maxwell, Malabar Coal

The Maxwell Project is an underground coal mining development. The project will create 350 new direct, long term jobs for the region along with many more indirect jobs

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Maxwell Project has been submitted to the NSW Government.

Spur Hill, Malabar Coal

Malabar Coal is currently undertaking exploration studies and detailed technical work to determine the next steps in developing an underground coking coal mine.