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.

Mining activities approved under the SEP Development Consent (SSD-4966) were commenced on 4 April 2018 and involves the extension and continuation of mine operations at the SMC.

The SEP approved activities are described in the SEP Environmental Impact Statement (EIS 2012) and includes:

- 11 years of mining;
- Up to 2.6mtpa ROM coal;
- 3 new open cut mining areas; and
- Use of existing CHPP and infrastructure.

Condition 5, Schedule 2 of SSD-4066 allows the carrying out mining operations on the site until 31 December 2025.

SMC consists of an open-cut, truck and excavator mine producing ROM coal which is processed at the CHPP and transported via train on the North Coast Railway to the Port of Newcastle.

Mining activities approved under the Stratford Coal Mine and Bowens Road North Development Consents were suspended in mid-2014, however, processing of ROM coal from the Duralie Coal Mine (DCM) at the CHPP and the export of product coals continued during this time.

Mining activities approved under the SEP Development Consent (SSD-4966) were commenced on 4 April 2018. The following milestones were achieved during the reporting period:
- Mining in the BRN Open Cut recommenced in April 2018.
- Construction of the new Avon North Open Cut commenced in June 2018, including the construction of a new haul road, out-of-pit waste emplacement and box-cut.
- Mining in the Avon North Open Cut commenced in July 2018.
- Construction of the Wenham Cox Road diversion commenced in July 2018 and was completed in September 2018.

Mining operations are permitted 7 days per week. Operational time restrictions apply as prescribed in SSD-4966.

Coal is processed in a 600 tonnes per hour (tph) coal handling and processing plant (CHPP) with coarse coal (i.e. 50mm down to 1mm) treated using dense medium cyclones (50mm to 1.5mm) and “teeter bed” separator/spirals (1.5mm to 0.4mm) and fine coal using floatation (0.4mm to <0.1mm). The CHPP operates on a two shift, 5 days per week basis. Feed to the CHPP is by front end loader based on blending of coal plies from the ROM stockpile.