Duralie

The Duralie Mine is located in the Hunter Valley Region of New South Wales in an area of the Gloucester Basin that is only four kilometres wide. The coal seams in the area being the Clareval Seam and the Weismantel Coal Seam. The coal seams are approximately 10 to 12 metres in thickness split into four plies with thicknesses from just under a metre to over seven metres.

Duralie Mine Produces High Fluidity Coking Coal

The coal produced at the Duralie Mine is a high fluidity coking coal that is blended with other raw coal and washed to maximise recovery and improve the project's bottom line. The finished product is a low ash coking coal together with a high ash thermal coal. ROM (run-of-mine) coal is taken by shuttle train to the nearby Stratford Processing Plant for washing. After the ROM coal is washed at Stratford it is then taken by rail to the port at Newcastle where it is either exported to overseas customers or distributed for domestic use.

Duralie Mine Open Pit is Operated by Leighton Contractors

The Duralie Mine, that has been operated by mining contractor Leighton Holdings since 2006, is a medium sized open cut mine that is capable of producing two million tonnes of coal annually. Leightons have found the mine to be unique in that the coal seams dip rather steeply, a feature that complicates pit planning and scheduling. The mine is also located in a heavy rainfall area and the fact that the coal seams go under the high voltage power transmission lines make for delicate blasting operations, particularly considering the reactive ground in the vicinity. Leighton Contractors are responsible for the site rehabilitation, equipment maintenance, operation of equipment and surface mining operations as well as mine planning. They have been providing these services for Duralie Coal since 2006.

Yancoal Plan Three new Pits in Same Area

Duralie Mine owner Yancoal are planning three new open pits in a 20 kilometre stretch reaching from the Duralie Mine to its Stratford Mine located at Gloucestor. The company has mining rights to this seam that follows the course of the Wards River. These new pits would maintain the Stratford Mine's current production of 2.6 million tonnes annually for the next 11 years and would require a doubling of its present workforce to 250.

This expansion would result in mining continuing at the Bowens Road North pit but see it creating three new areas; the Stratford East pit, the Avon North pit and the Roseville West extension. It is anticipated that the Avon North and Stratford East pits would operate 24 hours a day. The others at Bowens Road North and Roseville West daylight hours only.

Public Opposition to Expansion Plans

Not all residents of the The Gloucester Basin are encouraging mining expansion in the area. It is an area that has seen an influx in hobby farming activities in recent years, especially in the area of cattle raising. Many of these, relatively new property owners, have had what they call a, 'knock on the door,' from mining companies asking them for a price on their properties. They claim they moved to the area for 'tree change' reasons to escape city living and are not welcoming to any more open pit coal mining activity taking place there. Any coal mining expansion plans are certain to be opposed.