1.2.2.1.4 Sunnyside Mine

The Sunnyside open-cut coal mine was given approval to commence production in 2008 and historically has produced around 1 Mt/year of raw coal for the export market. In late November 2012 mining operations at the site were suspended indefinitely and the mine is currently under ‘care and maintenance’. The suspension in production was attributed to a decline in global coal prices, which made this small, relatively high-cost mine uneconomic (Whitehaven Coal, 2012). The mine has approval to operate until September 2015. The reduced output from the Sunnyside Mine is expected to be offset by increasing production at the Werris Creek Mine (Whitehaven Coal, 2014a).