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Location: 44 km NE from Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia
Private Mail Bag 3006MudgeeNew South Wales, Australia2850
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Mining scale, mining and mill throughput capaciites.Full profiles of select mines and projects.
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The Ulan West underground mines the lower 3 metres of the Ulan seam for thermal coal. The Ulan Mine Complex (Ulan No.3, Ulan West) is at the western limit of the geological formation known as the Sydney Basin and at the southern end of the Gunnedah Sub-basin. The resource coal targeted for extraction is from the Illawarra Coal Measures, which are of Permian age and overlain by sedimentary formations of varying thickness and types including sandstones, shales and alluvium. Ten coal seams (nine in the west) occur within the coal measures; eight occur above (seven in the west) and one below the Ulan Seam. These seams range in thickness from approximately 0.4 to 10 metres (with the Ulan Seam being thickest). Apart from the Ulan Seam, all seams within the mining leases are considered uneconomic in the current market due to their high ash content. The main geological features present within the Ulan Mine Complex and in particular within the underground mining area are Triassic Narrabeen Group sandstones overlying the Permian sedimentary rocks of the Illawarra Coal Measures; and some Gulgong granite. More recent Jurassic Pilliga sandstone (over Gomiala shale) caps the Narrabeen layers in the north east and quaternary sands are present along rivers and major creeks.The Ulan Seam generally dips uniformly towards the north-east at between one and two degrees, and the seam thickness averages 5 to 7 metres (see Stratagraphic Profile) throughout the Ulan Mine Complex. It consists of ten separate plies, which are consolidated into four working sections within the open cut. The working sections are separated by thin claystone horizons. Current planning is for the open cut extension to mine the full seam, and the underground operations will mine the lower section of the Ulan seam. The lower section has low ash content and an average thickness of 2.75 metres; varying from 2.4 metres in the north- west, and up to 3 metres in the south. Within the areas to be worked throughout the mine life, the depth of cover will generally increase where extraction progresses toward the north east, due to a combination of topography and a dipping seam.
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