Overview
Status | Inactive / Suspended |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Mine Life | 25 years (as of Jan 1, 2018) |
The introduction of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Resources and Energy) 2021 prohibits any open cut mining at the Dartbrook Coal Project. The Dartbrook Coal Project has faced strong stakeholder opposition and lengthy legal challenges about this issue in the past and any future open cut mining proposals are expected to attract similar scrutiny. |
Source:
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Australian Pacific Coal completed the 100% acquisition of the Dartbrook mine in May 2017. Australian Pacific Coal owns the Dartbrook Coal Project through its wholly owned subsidiaries, ACQ Investments 2 Pty Limited (ACQ Investments), AQC Dartbrook Pty Ltd (AQC Dartbrook), AQC Management Pty Ltd (AQC Management) and Dartbrook Coal (Sales) Pty Ltd (AQC Sales).
27 September 2022 - The Board were pleased to advise that a binding agreement had been entered into with Trepang, Tetra and M Resources in relation to a joint venture to see Dartbrook re-commissioned as a coal producing mine (Strategic Partnership). Assuming binding agreements are entered into with Trepang, the joint venture raises the funds required to re-start production, all necessary approvals are obtained and production re-starts within the agreed timeframe, the overall joint venture equity ownership interest will be: AQC-50%; M Resources-20%; Tetra Resources-20%; and Trepang-10% (free-carried).
Contractors
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Summary:
Coal within Dartbrook is located on the western side of the Muswellbrook Anticline. Strata of the Permian Wittingham Coal Measures outcrop in the area and dip gently generally to the west. The location of the igneous intrusions and faults in the Dartbrook deposit is well-known. They have been considered for both resource estimation and mining operations. Based on observations from previous underground operations, the igneous intrusions and faults will have no material impact on the Dartbrook coal product qualities.
Within the Dartbrook Open Cut Pre-Feasibility Study mine schedule there are 13 coal seams amenable to open cut mining.
Summary:
Australian Pacific Coal’s vision is to develop Dartbrook as a low impact, open cut, mining operation.
The Dartbrook tenements contain a total Coal Resource of approximately 2,534 Million tonnes (588 Mt Measured, 850 Mt Indicated, 1,097 Mt Inferred). Within this Coal Resource, open cut mining is amenable in areas for a total of 1,803 Mt at a depth shallower than 450m.
The OC PFS mine plan mines 226 Mt ROM coal with 190 Mt, or 84%, classified as a ROM Coal Reserve. Based on the modelled processing yield applied by the Competent Person and rounding, this equates to a Marketable Reserve of 140 Mt. This reflects the capacity of the proposed 10 Mtpa pit operating for 25 years, at a strip ratio of 4.0 to 1. Beyond the OC PFS mining pit, the Coal Reserve extends to the south, west and north of the OC PFS mining pit.
Source:
Summary:

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Projected Production:
Commodity | Units | LOM |
Coal (thermal)
|
Mt
| 172 |
All production numbers are expressed as clean coal.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
ROM coal, LOM
| 226 Mt * |
Raw coal annual capacity
| 10 Mt * |
Stripping / waste ratio
| 4 bcm/t * |
* According to 2018 study.
Reserves at March 28, 2018:
The Coal Resource have been estimated in accordance with the JORC Code, 2012 Edition. The Dartbrook tenements contain a total Coal Resource of approximately 2,534 Million tonnes (588 Mt Measured, 850 Mt Indicated, 1,097 Mt Inferred). Within this Coal Resource, open cut mining is amenable in areas for a total of 1,803 Mt at a depth shallower than 450m.
The Dartbrook Marketable Coal Reserve of 370Mt is derived from a run of mine Coal Reserve of 470 Mt estimated in accordance with JORC 2012 with a predicted overall yield of 78%. The 370Mt Marketable Coal Reserve is included in the 2.5 Bt Coal Resource (588Mt Measured, 850 Mt Indicated, 1,097Mt Inferred).
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Marketable Coal |
Probable
|
470 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
370 Mt
|
Measured
|
507 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Indicated
|
638 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Inferred
|
658 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Total Resource
|
1,803 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | Average |
Assumed price
|
Coal (thermal)
|
USD
|
83 / t *
|
* According to 2018 study / presentation.
Operating Costs:
| Units | 2018 |
OP mining costs ($/t mined)
|
AUD
| 30.8 * |
Total operating costs ($/t processed)
|
AUD
| ......  |
* According to 2018 study.
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2018 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
Pre-Production capital costs
|
$M AUD
|
......
|
Total CapEx
|
$M AUD
|
......
|
Operating margin, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax NPV @ 10%
|
$M AUD
|
......
|
After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax payback period, years
|
|
......
|
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Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
.......................
|
.......................
|
|
Oct 27, 2022
|
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Staff:
Total Workforce | Year |
|
2018
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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