1.2.3.1.2 Duralie Coal Extension Plan

Proposed expansion activities within Mining Lease (ML) 1427 by Duralie Coal Pty Ltd, includes the drilling of ten holes of varying depths into known coal measure areas to further delineate open-cut activity (Duralie Coal Pty Ltd, 2006) of the currently operating Duralie Coal Mine. The extension will increase the mine’s production from approximately 1.8 Mt/year ROM to up to 3 Mt/year ROM (Gloucester Coal, 2010, p. ES–4). On the basis that the extension project might pose a threat to the endangered giant barred frog Mixophyes iteratus (a declared endangered species under s178, s181 and s183 of the Commonwealth’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999), the plan was declared a Controlled Action by the Australian Government (SEWPaC, 2010, NSW Department of Planning ,2011a, Nedlands, 2013). After extensive data proved the expansion would not threaten the habitat and having stated that monitoring will occur, Duralie Mine’s environmental and planning approvals for the expansion project were granted in 2010 (SEWPaC, 2010). Extension activities will include mining of the Clareval Seam (Clareval North West) and extension of the existing approved open-cut in the Weismantel Seam (Weismantel Extension) (Gloucester Coal, 2010, p. 3).

Last updated:
5 January 2018