1.2.3.1.3 Tarrawonga Extension Coal Project

Tarrawonga Coal Pty Ltd, the operators of the Tarrawonga Mine, recently sought approval to expand mining operations at the Tarrawonga Mine, develop associated processing and transport facilities, and to extract up to 3 Mt/year of coal until 2030 – an increase from current production of up to 2 Mt/year. The extension project also includes provision for the construction and operation of a service corridor (including a haul road) linking it to the Boggabri Coal Mine infrastructure facilities.

The Tarrawonga Extension Coal Project was given approval from the NSW Government in January 2013 and the Australian Government in March 2013 to extend open-cut operations at the mine. Under the new approval, the Tarrawonga Mine can expand the mine to the east of the existing mining area and extract a total of 50.5 Mt of coal at a rate of 3 Mt/year, until 2030 (Whitehaven Coal, 2013).