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Coal & Allied managing director Douglas Ritchie said the feasibility study is expected to take approximately 12 months to complete and would include extensive community consultation.

Two opencut operations have been considered at the site – one in the north pit (mining five coal seams) and the south pit (mining eight coal seams), with a combined potential life of more than 25 years.

But Ritchie said that a final decision was yet to be made on the future development of the operation.

The project has been part of Coal & Allied’s development portfolio since 1992, when the company obtained an authority over the Mount Pleasant resource.

Exploration, mining studies and an environmental impact statement (EIS) were completed in 1997, and after a 26-month process the development consent was granted in 1999 allowing an opencut operation of up to 10.5 million tonnes per annum of run of mine (ROM) coal over a 21-year life.

A pre-feasibility study then commenced in 2002 to assess a number of mining options and the years of preparation have now culminated in the current feasibility study.

“We have a long history in the Hunter Valley and we will continue to work with the community to understand and manage our impacts and to implement programs which make a positive contribution, both in the short and long term,” Ritchie said.

“As part of our ongoing focus on sustainable development, all aspects of the proposed operation would be considered to maximise energy efficiency, manage water use and reduce impacts on our neighbours.”