The controls are both technically and economically possible according to a report on public exhibition until Monday.

The NSW Coal Mining Benchmarking Study carried out by Katestone Environmental Pty Ltd was commissioned by the Department of Environment Climate Change and Water (DECCW) to look into international best practice measures to prevent and minimise emissions of particulate matter from coal mining.

According to the report the cost of implementing best practice particulate emission controls in greater metropolitan regional coal mines was estimated to be $164 million a year.

However the 49 per cent reduction relies heavily on achieving a substantial increase in the area of land rehabilitated each year and the application of suppressant to haul roads.

The report acknowledges that data collected from Muswellbrook, Singleton and Camberwell show that concentrations of particulate matter exceed the Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) on a number of occasions each year.

Of the 331 complaints received by DECCW between 2007 and 2009 about air quality issues, 86 per cent were complaints about dust and 60 per cent of those complaints came from people in Muswellbrook and Singleton.

The 2003 emissions inventory found that coal mining was the largest emitter of PM10.

The study looked at specific areas of mine operations and how best practice could improve emissions.

The report states that the greatest reduction in emissions would be achieved by the application of suppressants to haul roads, which will reduce the current emissions by 21 per cent.

There is also the suggestion that conveyors replace haul roads but that the most cost-effective control measure for coal companies was to replace the current fleet with larger-capacity vehicles.

Rehabilitation is also pivotal and is said to be the more cost-effective approach in minimising emissions than watering.

DECCW will consider the report once all submissions have been received.

The full report can be viewed on the DECCW website.