Mine Details
Angus place
http://www.centennialcoal.com.au
thermal-black-coal, Town, DiDo
Phone:
Address:
wolgan rd, lidsdale, NSW, 2790
State: wolgan rd, lidsdale, NSW, 2790
Email:
The Angus Place underground black coal mine is located at Lidsdale, 15 kilometres from the thriving NSW Western Coalfields town of Lithgow. The mine produces thermal coal for the domestic and export market at the rate of over seven million tonnes a year. It has proven reserves of more than 85 million tonnes giving it many years of constant production.
Over Five Million Tonnes Annually Goes to Providing Power Domestically
A private road has been constructed, dedicated to coal carrying vehicles only, to take over five million tonnes annually from the Angus Place mine coal crushing plant to the power stations at Mt Piper and Wallerawang. Coal earmarked for export is taken by train from the Lidsdale siding to port Kembla.
Longwall Mining Produces Consistent Results
Coal mining first occurred at the site in 1979 and for the June quarter alone, in 2010, it had recorded a production level of just under one million tonne. At that time mining was taking place at the Wolgan zone where longwall mining was achieving consistently good results. The September quarter in 2010 showed continuing improvement with the production level reaching over one million tonne, an almost 10 percent increase.
Opposition to Extension and Upgrading Plans
Recent plans to extend underground mining at the site to extend the life of the mine beyond 2024 received strong opposition from environmentalists as, at the time, development approvals only extended to 2016. The mine owner plans to continue longwall mining at the site stretching out to the east of current operations. This required an extension of the existing boundary.
To compliment extending the life of the mine the company also plans upgrading the existing infrastructure. Although this isn't necessarily intended to increase the mines total production capabilities it will link the Western Coal Services operation into the Angus Place distribution and processing network. The extension and improved infrastructure will secure local employment and lengthen its operating life.
Environmentalist group Colong Foundation opposed the upgrading and extension plans arguing the company was simply trying to increase production at the mine. The Colong group were claiming any increase of the mine boundary would negatively impact on swamps on the Newnes Plateau. The mine management argued that any damage to the swamps in question was not the result of mining but was due to changing climatic conditions.
Development Going Ahead
Infrastructure development is being developed to allow better coal storage, processing and handling processes between all the company's operations in the area, including that of Angus Place. When completed the facilities will provide Angus Place mine with a new haul roadway and completely separate the logistic function and transport operations from the operating mine itself. It will also increase coal handling capacity to 9.5 million tonnes a year. When completed Angus Place and Springvale will have better access to the power stations and the Lidsdale siding for exporting purposes.
A Bright Future Remains for the Angus Place Coal Mine
Coal mining in NSW has a sound future as the demand for the product both domestically and overseas remains quite strong. The Angus Place mine is a good example of the type of reserves available and while production costs can remain competitive the future remains bright.
