Regionally, Maules Creek is located within the Permian sedimentary sequence of the Maules Creek Sub-basin in the Gunnedah Basin of New South Wales, Australia. The Maules Creek sub-basin uncomformably overlies (onlaps) a basement surface formed by the Early Permian Boggabri Volcanics. Structurally, the seams are deposited in a generally north south orientated basin that shallows to the south but is open ended to the north. The Maules Creek Resource is situated on the western limb of the basin which dips to the east–south east at grades of 2 to 6 degrees, with areas of local steepening.

The Maules Creek Formation contains a multi-seam resource in a sedimentary section dominated by lithic conglomerate and sandstone, siltstone and minor claystone. The formation is interpreted as being deposited primarily in a braided fluvial system. The coals are generally thicker and closer together on the western side of the basin. To the east and southeast the coal seams are split by increasingly thick sections of clastic rocks, mainly conglomerates. Within the basin the coal bearing horizons, and the sediments between them, form an essentially ‘layer cake’ stratigraphy, with some gentle post depositional folding and several phases of relatively minor tectonic dislocation. Localised variations in dip angle and dip direction occur, largely due to differential compaction of strata over interseam sedimentary wedges.

The close spatial association of basement outcrops and rela ........

Maules Creek Coal Mine (MCCM) is an open cut coal mine with an approved maximum ROM coal production rate of 13 Mtpa to December 2034. Pre-mining clearance activities including ecological, archaeological and soil analysis were undertaken in line with the relevant approvals and management plans.

Topsoil was reclaimed from the area to be mined and stockpiled for later use on rehabilitation areas. Overburden is blasted prior to being removed by loader and / or excavator and trucks before proceeding with coal extraction.

Fleet configuration is stable with no changes during 2022. As required, assets are converted to work in the Autonomous Haulage System where they receive additional hardware and software to make the compatible with the operating systems.

Additional procurement of mining fleet will be subject to mine planning requirements in 2023.

The mine will continue to employ open cut truck and shovel operations. This will initially involve out of pit dumping and then in-pit dumping will occur. Given the deposit depth (up to 300 m) and the high proportion of thin seams (80% are less than 2.5 m thick) this is deemed to be the most appropriate method. Haul back ramps will be developed on the advancing face so that an overall angle of advance of approximately 12-15 degrees is achieved and the inpit dump is planned to develop at an overall angle of 18-26 degrees depending on geotechnical conditions.

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