The WK No. 9 Seam is a well-known and highly productive seam in the Western Kentucky portion of the Illinois Basin, and, in conjunction with the WK No. 11 Seam, represents the overwhelming majority of production produced in the West Kentucky region.

In the area of the Buck Creek Complex, the rock strata above the WK No. 9 Seam generally consists of the Turner Mine Shale (“TMS”), a thin, black shale immediately above the coal which is overlain by the Canton Shale and Vermillionville Sandstone. Immediately below the WKY No. 9 Seam is claystone followed by shale and sandy shale.

Coal seam thickness of the WK No.11 seam averages 4.2 feet with clean coal quality characteristics similar to the Poplar Grove Mine’s WK No.9 seam. Mining conditions for the WK No.11 coal seam appear to be excellent with the immediate roof consisting of a thin black shale horizon overlain by limestone. The roof conditions in the WK No. 11 seam result in lower operating cost compared to the WK No. 9 because the density of roof support materials is less.

Both the WK No. 9 and No. 11 seams are relatively flat with a dip towards the northwest. The dip of the coal, because it is shallow, will not have an adverse impact on mine productivity.

Paringa utilises room and pillar operations at Poplar Grove, an efficient and low-cost mining method widely employed in coal mines around the world. Room and pillar mining is undertaken by continuous mining units (“Unit”), with each Unit consisting of two CMs and other ancillary equipment.

Mining began utilising the two CMs which form Unit 1, with ramp-up activities progressing well and productivity increasing. Construction of the ventilation overcasts are complete and the split ventilation system is commissioned, enabling the concurrent operation of both CMs in Unit 1. Regulatory approval has also been received for an extended cut plan for Unit 1.

Unit 2 entered production in July 2019 and the split ventilation system has also been completed, enabling the concurrent operation of two continuous miners in Unit 2, taking the total number of CMs in operation to four and significantly increasing the total quantity of coal mined per shift of operation. Unit 2 will progressively ramp-up over the coming months, with testing activities for the Unit 2 extended cut plan underway.

Paringa plans to operate three Units at Poplar Grove, with each Unit projected to produce approximately 0.9 Mt tons of clean coal per annum at full capacity. Unit 3 is scheduled for commissioning in 2020, enabling total Poplar Grove production of up to 2.8 Mtpa of clean coal on an annualised run-rate basis.

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