1.2.2.1.2 Cumnock Mine

Cumnock No.1 Colliery Pty Ltd (Cumnock Mine, part of the Ravensworth Complex), formerly known as the Liddell State Coal Mine, has been under care and maintenance since 2011. Cumnock Mine is part of Ravensworth Surface Operations (Xstrata Coal, 2012). This mine operated from the early 1950s and was purchased by Xstrata Coal Pty Limited (now Glencore plc) via its subsidiary Helios Australia Pty Ltd from Cumnock Coal in 2007, who in turn purchased the mine from the NSW Electricity Commission in 1991 (Glencore, 2014a).

The Cumnock Mine is located between Muswellbrook and Singleton in the Upper Hunter Valley. Mining was initially underground using longwall methods. However, from 1993 to 1994, and 2002 to 2003, coal was also extracted using open-cut methods (Glencore, 2014a), producing thermal coal. All coal mining activities ceased at Cumnock in 2011 and current and planned activities are limited to pumping of wet tailings from the Ravensworth Coal Handling and Processing Plant to voids and pits approved for tailings emplacement and ongoing, progressive and extensive rehabilitation works (Xstrata 2012a, p. 4, p. 12).