Coal located within ML70379 occurs within the Rangal Coal Measures and Burngrove Formation of the Permian Bowen Basin. The Roper, Middlemount and Pisces upper seams (in descending order) belong to the Rangal Coal Measures, while the Pisces lower and Girrah seams belong to the Burngrove Formation.

The major regional geological structure is the north-northwest oriented Jellinbah Fault, a thrust fault with a throw of over 300 m. This fault cuts the ML70379 into two sections. Seams of the Rangal Coal Measures crop out to the west of this fault, where the majority of the coal exploration has been undertaken.

Seams strike north-northwest and dip to the east at between 3 and 7 degrees. The potential open cut coal area within ML70379 is limited to the east by the Jellinbah Fault.

Coal mining activities is carried out on a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week basis. The coal seams will be mined utilising excavators supported by a fleet of rear dump trucks.

As outlined above, two options of overburden removal are under consideration by MCPL, being with and without involvement of a dragline.

The CHPP is comprised of one module and is operated with single stage washing with a floatation circuit, and is rated to process 400 tonnes of ROM coal per hour. For Stage 1, the CHPP will operate for 4 days (8 shifts) per week.

The CHPP approved in Stage 1 is augmented in capacity to a 700 t/h ROM coal feed level. Operation of the CHPP will be for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

ROM coal is transported either directly to the CHPP facility, or dumped at ROM stockpiles prior to rehandling to the CHPP facility.