Dartbrook coal mine: Deadly Hunter Valley site reopening for the first time since 2006
A Hunter Valley coal mine closed after three deaths at the site has been given approval by the NSW independent Planning Commissioner to reopen.
Newcastle
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A controversial underground coal mine will be revived after an agreement with the NSW Independent Planning Commission was made on Tuesday.
Dartbrook Coal, near Muswellbrook, has been under “care and maintenance” since 2006, after three deaths at the site.
Australia Pacific Coal has been working to reopen the mine after purchasing it from Anglo American in 2016.
An application to reopen the site was previously rejected by the IPC, but will now go ahead with amendments.
The mine will have to use the Hunter Tunnel rather than transport coal by truck, use existing processing infrastructure and cannot mine the Piercefield Seam to reduce groundwater impact.
The company welcomed the decision as a “significant milestone” in the site’s reopening, in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
The decision will be finalised later this month.
“Once the agreement becomes effective the operation of the development consent for the Dartbrook Coal Mine will be extended until December 5, 2027,” the statement said.
Community members expressed concern about resuming mining activity in a region now focused on agriculture.
Friends of the Upper Hunter secretary Kirsty O’Connell said the group was stunned by the IPC’s decision.
“We need to preserve what’s left of the farming country in this area so we’ve got some economic diversity,” Ms O’Connell said.
“It’s pretty obvious we’re not going to mine coal forever.
“We’ve also got the very serious concern about the air quality impacts when we’ve already got the worst air quality in the state.”
Ms O’Connell said the group was considering mounting a legal case to halt the project.
“The door is left open for a few days to consider whether we can muster the huge resources needed to run a case like this.
“But it’s pretty cold comfort when we were fully expecting the government to turn down this application.
“This is a huge undertaking, needing to have QCs, legal advice, the risk of having to pay costs. It’s a huge thing for a community, not-for-profit organisation to handle.”
The development drew 1300 objections to the commission.