In what has been described as a very unusual approach to coal production the owners of the Dartbrook underground, in the Upper Hunter, propose to sell their coal 'unwashed'.
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Washing coal is standard practice in the industry as it reduces ash, increases the heating value of coal and reduces the transportation costs – in fact the washing process is considered one of the most important parts of coal production.
So why would the owners of this, currently dormant, coalmine consider selling their product unwashed?
That is one of the many questions raised in a submission, to the Department of Planning and Environment, by the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBA) objecting to the modification plans by Australian Pacific Coal for their Dartbrook mine located a few kilometres away from some of the nation’s leading thoroughbred studs.
Australian Pacific Coal, a company whose major shareholder is Trepany Services owned by Nick Paspaley and John Robinson bought Dartbrook from Anglo American in 2016. The mine was closed in 2006 and it has since been in care and maintenance.
The modification plans want to run a bord-and-pillar operation in one seam – the Kyuga seam – and to extend the life of the mine by five years to December 2027 but HTBA wants the mine to remain closed as it views its reopening as a way for the eventual establishment an open operation on the site –located 10 kilometres north west of Muswellbrook.
If an open cut was approved it would be the first in the Upper Hunter and according to the HTBA submission threaten the future not only of its internationally recognised industry but the economic diversity of the entire region.
“It is time for the NSW Planning process to take a more enlightened view of mining applications and consider all information at its disposal to make pertinent assessments of mine applications before it,, protect the economic diversity of the region. agricultural industries and the tourism potential of the Upper Hunter – all of which are at risk due to this project and any future open cut mining,”the HTBA submission states.
According to the Dartbrook’s own report (prepared by Mining Consultancy Services) the coals are classed as high bituminous coal and are classified as medium to high risk in terms of spontaneous combustion.
The issues with spontaneous combustion and the fact the coal is to be sold unwashed, which significantly lowers its value, makes the underground dangerous and uneconomic argues the HTBA and increases the Association’s belief that the owners simply want to restart the mine and then gain approval for an open cut operation.