The Bloomfield Group is at the final stages of seeking consent to continue operations at its Rix’s Creek Coal Mine for a further 21 years.
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After three years of exhaustive studies, liaisons and consultations with government and industry representatives and community groups, the process has made its way to the NSW Planning and Assessment Commission (PAC) which will decide if the consents will be given.
As part of the assessment process a public hearing will be held in Singleton on Wednesday, June, 6 from 11:30am.
The public hearing will be held at the Charbonier Hotel and any one interesting in speaking must register with PAC by Monday, June 4 at noon.
The Bloomfield Group emphasises that its application isn’t for a new mine, but for approvals to continue operations.
“We’re simply seeking permission for the mine to continue in a westward direction away from Singleton, with our land being backfilled and remediated in an ongoing manner as has happened since the mine started,” Rix’s Creek Coal Mine Manager Luke Murray explained.
“This was all part of the plan when the mine started, but having run for nearly 30 years now we have to go back to the New South Wales Government to have our consent updated. “We’ll continue extracting similar volumes on average, with some flexibility to cater for year-to-year market and operational variations, with a modest increase in maximum allowable coal production
“It will very much be business as usual at the site. Our neighbours and the surrounding community shouldn’t notice any significant changes.”
It’s intended that the mine will gradually shift in a westward direction by about 1.5 kilometres over 21 years, by which stage open cut reserves at the site would be exhausted.
The Continuation Project relates to the original Rix’s Creek Mine site - not the former Integra / Camberwell site which The Bloomfield Group acquired in 2015.
The Bloomfield group is continuing to ask community members with questions or feedback to make direct contact by either calling or emailing General Manager Mining Development Garry Bailey gbailey@bloomcoll.com.au or on 0407 938 003, Group Environment Manager Chris Knight at cknight@bloomcoll.com.au or on 0403 058 777, or Project Manager Geoff Moore at gmoore@bloomcoll.com.au or on 0407 490 944.