The coal resource at the DCM is located within the Permian aged Gloucester Basin in NSW. The DCM is located in the southern closure of the main synclinal structure of the Gloucester Basin and is associated with the coal bearing strata of the Dewrang Group. The Dewrang Group comprises three main stratigraphic units, namely: Mammy Johnsons Formation; Weismantels Formation; and Duralie Road Formation.

The coal seams mined at the DCM include:
• the Weismantel Seams;
• the Clareval Seams; and
• the Cheerup Seams.

The underlying basement rocks are principally volcanics of Early Permian (i.e. Alum Mountain Volcanics) and Carboniferous age that were folded during formation of the Gloucester Basin. The Early Permian and Carboniferous volcanic rocks are typically erosion resistant and form the more prominent ridges to the east and west of the DCM.

Duralie Coal Mine consists of an open-cut, truck and excavator mine producing run of mine (ROM) coal, which is railed to the Stratford Mining Complex (SMC) and processed at the SMC Coal Handling and Processing Plant (CHPP).

The operations extract ROM coal from the Weismantel and Clareval seams at the base of the Gloucester Coal Measures. The deposit forms a synclinal structure with the open cut area located at the southernmost crop line within the main axis of the Gloucester Basin. The operation is now situated on the west limb of the syncline with seams dipping at about 50 degrees east. Mining is undertaken within ML1427 and of ML1646 and includes the extension of the Weismantel pit to the north west and the inclusion of the Clareval seam parallel and to the west of the Weismantel seam.

Dips within the deposit vary from a shallow 5 degrees to an almost vertical profile. Consequently, a method of horizontal 3m to 4m benches is used as the primary extraction method. An average of 5m of free dig material is generally experienced at Duralie after which all waste material generally requires blasting.

Mining activities continued in the Weismantel pit during the 2018/19 reporting period. Mining in the Clareval pit was completed during September 2017 and waste from the Weismantel pit continued to be placed in the Clareval pit. Clearing in advance of mining has now been completed up to the approved disturbance limit in both Weismantel and Clareval. Mining of ROM coal within the Weismantel pit ceased in October 2018. Approximately 400kt of ROM coal is remaining in the Weismantel pit and is intended to be extracted between 2020 to 2021.

During the reporting period DCPL complied with the approved operating hours. Mining operations are permitted 7 days per week, however mining is currently undertaken during Monday to Friday with no weekend work. Additionally, nightshift operations have ceased during 2018 and a day shift only operates at the DCM.

COAL HANDLING AND BENEFICATION.
ROM coal is initially handled at the Duralie Coal Handling Plant (CHP). Rock greater than 140 mm is removed from ROM coal using a rotary breaker at the CHP. The separated rock is conveyed to a rejects bin from which it is loaded out and trucked to be buried on site as potentially acid forming (PAF) waste. The ROM coal is then transferred via conveyor to a train loadout bin and railed to the SMC via a shuttle train.

The SMC Coal Handling and Processing Plant (CHPP) produces a coking coal and a range of thermal coal products for export.

Reject fractions from the ROM coal are generated at the SMC and deposited along with processing waste fractions produced from the washing of SMC coals. The Stratford Mine utilises a co- disposal method that combines the coarse rejects with the intermediate sized materials and tailings.

ROM Coal Processing On Site.
ROM coal is processed through a rotary breaker at the Duralie CHP ........