The coal resource at the SMC is located within the Permian aged Gloucester Basin in NSW. The SMC is located in the central eastern flank of the north-south trending synclinal structure of the Gloucester Basin. In this area, a thick sequence of Carboniferous volcanics is overlain by late Permian sedimentary strata including coal seams. The Permian succession is divided into the following three groups (oldest to youngest):
• Stroud Volcanics;
• Dewrang Group; and
• Gloucester Coal Measures.

The Cloverdale, Roseville, Marker, Bowens Road and Avon Seams have been previously mined at the SMC. Coal seams in the project area are generally of constant thicknesses except to the east where thrust faulting has thickened and repeated strata, which is further complicated by the steeply dipping syncline structure.

The Stratford Mining Complex is an open cut coal mining operation located in the Gloucester Basin approximately 100 kilometres north of Newcastle in New South Wales.

The open cut mining areas would involve supporting infrastructure such as haul roads, bunding, soil stockpiles, hardstands and water management structures and have been designed to integrate with the existing Stratford Mining Complex operations and minimise the amount of additional infrastructure required.

ROM coal excavated from the open cut pits is delivered to the ROM pad and then conveyed to the CHPP for processing. The CHPP also processes ROM coal transported from the Duralie Coal Mine on the North Coast Railway and small quantities of CHPP rejects recovered by excavation from the western co-disposal area at the Stratford Coal Mine.

Blended coal products are transported by rail to the Port of Newcastle for export, and to domestic customers.