Limited coal extraction has been conducted from the Fassifern Seam where it is exposed around the hillside of the Tasman deposit.

The 30m to 110m thick Tomago Measures include the previously mined Great Northern Seam which lies from 7m to 30m above the proposed workings and by the West Borehole Seam that lies approximately 150m beneath the Fassifern Seam.

The overburden typically comprises several conglomerate units with interbedded siltstone, claystone and sandstone overlying the Great Northern Seam, the Awaba Tuff and Fassifern Seam and dip at <5° towards the south-east.

Donaldson’s coal operation was moved to a “care and maintenance” phase and feasibility studies have been commenced to explore potential future mining options including the introduction of a longwall mining method.

Abel Mine operated as a bord and pillar mine from 2008 to 2016 (when it was placed on care and maintenance), producing up to 2.5Mtpa of ROM coal to wash thermal and SSCC products for export. Production was predominantly from the Upper Donaldson Seam. A combination of total extraction and partial extraction was incorporated across the target area, with partial extraction used below sensitive surface areas and infrastructure.

The mine utilises existing surface infrastructure and the Bloomfield Coal Handling and Preparation Plant.

ROM coal is processed at the CHPP including size reduction, washing and screening. Product coal is stockpiled adjacent to the CHPP before being loaded into rail wagons at the Bloomfield rail loading facility, and transported by rail to the Port Waratah Coal Services terminal at the Port of Newcastle.