1.2.2.1.6 Werris Creek Mine


The Werris Creek Mine commenced production of low- to medium-ash, low-sulfur, low‑phosphorus and medium- to high-volatile PCI and thermal coal in 2005. In mid-2011 an extension of the Werris Creek Mine was approved, allowing production of up to 2.5 Mt/year for 20 years. The recently expanded Werris Creek open-cut mine is capable of producing 2.5 Mt/year of raw coal for the export market. The coal is transported directly by rail from Werris Creek to the Port of Newcastle (Whitehaven Coal, 2014a).

Table 4 Mining leases granted and under application in the Namoi subregion


Mining lease (ML), coal lease (CL), consolidated coal lease (CCL), mining lease application (MLA) or mining purposes lease (MPL)

Principal tenure holder

Grant datea

Due to expire

Area (ha)

CL 316

Whitehaven Coal

15 Jun 1988

15 Jun 2033

4,772

CL 375

Aston Coal 2

4 Jun1991

4 Jun 2033

4,154

CCL 701

Namoi Mining

16 Mar 1989

19 Feb 2022

5,685

CCL 711

Curlewis Coal and Coke

16 Mar 1989

Renewal sought

1,309

ML 1471

Whitehaven Coal

7 Sep 2000

6 Sep 2021

385.40

ML 1662

Whitehaven Coal

9 Jan 2012

9 Jan 2033

93.09

ML 1671

Werris Creek Coal

9 Mar2012

9 Mar 2033

96.15

ML 1672

Werris Creek Coal

9 Mar 2012

9 Mar 2033

130.50

ML 1685

Boggabri Coal

18 Dec 2013

14 Nov 2032

158.40

ML 1693

Whitehaven Coal

14 Oct 2013

14 Oct 2034

409.80

MLA 0404

Aston Coal 2

30 May 2011

NA

405.50

MLA 0447

Whitehaven Coal

20 Dec 2012

NA

NA

MLA 0453

Aston Coal 2

30 May 2013

NA

NA

MLA 0464

Boggabri Coal

28 Nov 2013

NA

NA

Source: NSW Department of Trade and Investment, Resource and Energy (2014). Coal titles and applications current as at 1 April 2014.

aApplication date for a mining lease application (MLA)

NA – not available

Full company names are: Aston Coal 2 Pty Ltd (Aston Coal 2), Boggabri Coal Pty Limited (Boggabri Coal), Curlewis Coal and Coke Pty Limited (Curlewis Coal and Coke), Namoi Mining Pty Ltd (Namoi Mining), Werris Creek Coal Pty Ltd (Werris Creek Coal), Whitehaven Coal Limited (Whitehaven Coal)

Last updated:
5 January 2018
Thumbnail of the Namoi subregion

Product Finalisation date

2014

ASSESSMENT