1.2.4 Catalogue of potential resource developments

Summary

This section summarises proposals to develop identified coal resources in the Sydney Basin bioregion post-December 2012, as outlined in Section 1.2.3.

As at March 2016, seven coal resource developments, having a post-December 2012 commencement date, have been proposed. They include five underground developments at existing coal mines: Airly Mine, Angus Place Colliery, WCL Russell Vale Colliery, Springvale and WCL Wongawilli Colliery, and one open-cut development at the existing Pine Dale Coal Mine. Development of a new underground coal mine at Hume, has also been proposed and an EIS is expected by end of 2016.

Five exploration projects have been identified (Boulder, East Lithgow, Inglenook, Neubeck and Running Stream) but there are no known development plans for these areas as at March 2016. These areas are all at pre-EIS stage.

There are no new coal seam gas (CSG) development projects proposed in the bioregion.

Information provided in Section 1.2.3 forms the basis for a catalogue of potential coal resource developments in the Sydney Basin bioregion post-December 2012. The catalogue in Table 9 identifies 12 potential developments. Six proposals relate to extensions and/or expansions of existing coal mines. There is one potential new mine – at Hume. The areas of Boulder, Inglenook, Neubeck, Running Stream and East Lithgow have identified coal resources and have been included in Table 9 but there is insufficient activity and no published material to indicate that these projects will progress to mine development proposals. The locations of the potential developments are shown in Figure 9.

As at March 2016, environmental impact statements (EIS) had been submitted for five of the proposals, of which two of these (Springvale and Wongawilli) have been approved; one company was preparing an EIS. Inclusion of an entry in Table 9 does not mean the development will proceed.

There are currently no new CSG development proposals in the Sydney Basin bioregion. CSG has been produced by AGL Energy Limited (AGL) at the Camden Gas Project south-west of Sydney since 2001.

Table 9 Potential coal resource developments in the Sydney Basin bioregion as at 15 March 2016

Project name	OC/UG^a	Company	Longitude	Latitude	Material^b	Total coal resources^c (Mt)	Status of EIS^d	Notes
Airly Mine Extension Project	UG	Centennial Coal	150.015	–33.098	Thermal	116	Submitted September 2014	NSW Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) recommended 20-year extension in November 2015. Awaiting approval from Minister.
Angus Place Mine Extension Project	UG	Centennial Coal	150.199	–33.349	Thermal	246	Submitted April 2014	Seeking extension to beyond 2024. At 5 January 2016, Centennial Coal was preparing a response to submissions.
Pine Dale Yarraboldy Stage 2 Extension Project	OC	Energy Australia	150.065	–33.297	Unspecified	14.2 to be extracted	No new EIS	Yarraboldy stage 2 extension. Pine Dale is currently in care and maintenance.
Russell Vale Underground Expansion Project	UG	Wollongong Coal	150.87	–34.347	Coking	4.7 to be extracted	Submitted February 2013	Mining was approved until end December 2015. In care and maintenance since September 2015. At 5 Jan 2016, project was with NSW PAC for assessment.
Springvale Mine Extension Project	UG	Centennial Coal	150.106	–33.401	Thermal	up to 58.5 to be extracted	Submitted April 2014	Consent for mining expired 15 September 2015. On 15 October 2015 approval for mine extension was granted under EPBC Act to continue to 2035.
Wongawilli Mine Extension	UG	Wollongong Coal	150.736	–34.475	Coking	3.3 to be extracted	Submitted February 2013	Application for mine extension submitted in May 2015 to continue mining to end 2020. Project approved 27 November 2015.
Hume Coal Project^e	UG	Hume Coal	150.273	–34.55	Coking and thermal	50+ to be extracted	EIS in preparation Due December 2016	Proposal to operate for 22 years. Requires assessment and approval under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Boulder Project	UG	Boulder Mining	150.07	-33.34	n/a	4.9 Mt measured	Pre-EIS	Exploration project. Identified deposit. Little evidence of recent activity. No development plans available.
East Lithgow Colliery Project	na	Shell Australia	150.160	-33.457	n/a	123 measured	Pre-EIS	Exploration project. Identified deposit. No reported activity since 1994.
Inglenook Project	OC	Centennial Coal	149.868	–33.032	Unspecified	256.4	Pre-EIS	Three exploration licences operating as at January 2016.
Neubeck Project	OC	Centennial Coal	150.05	–33.347	Thermal	32.9	Pre-EIS	Exploration project for an anticipated 11-year operation. Deemed a controlled action, which would require assessment and approval under the EPBC Act.
Running Stream Project	UG	Glencore	149.93	-33.037	n/a	279.3	Pre-EIS	Exploration project. Identified deposit. No recent report of activity.

^aOC is open cut; UG is underground

^b’Material’ refers to class of coal: thermal, coking, pulverised coal injection (PCI) and unspecified.

^cthis is calculated by summing the resources with Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) codes of measured, indicated and inferred.

^dthe status of the mine with regard to preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS): pre-EIS, EIS in preparation, EIS submitted, EIS closed, supplementary EIS and EIS approved

^enew mine proposal

na = not applicable

Last updated:

21 January 2019

1.2.4 Catalogue of potential resource developments

Product Finalisation date

Numbered headings

ASSESSMENT

PRODUCT DATA