Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Dartbrook OP Project

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusInactive / Suspended
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotOn the 28 October 2022, (2022 No649), the NSW Government under the Environment Planning and Assessment Act 1979, implemented a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) Resources and Energy Amendment (Dartbrook Mine) 2022 to prohibit open cut mining on the land, being defined as the Authority 256 boundary.

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.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Tetra Resources Pty Ltd. 20 % Indirect
Australian Pacific Coal Ltd. 80 % Indirect
Australian Pacific Coal completed the 100% acquisition of the Dartbrook mine in May 2017.

27 September 2022 - Australian Pacific Coal Limited (AQC) entered into a binding agreement with Trepang, Tetra and M Resources in relation to a joint venture to see Dartbrook re-commissioned as a coal-producing underground mine.

On May 1, 2023, the binding term sheet announced in September 2022 has been renegotiated. The key terms of the restructured JV are:

- AQC retains the majority direct working interest which has increased from 50% to 80%.

- Tetra remains a direct JV participant with a 20% working interest and remains the mine Manager and Operator.

- Trepang will no longer have a direct working interest in the JV.

- M Resources will receive a 10% indirect economic interest in the JV through AQC.

AQC holds an 80% joint venture interest (70% economic interest) in the Dartbrook thermal coal project.

Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

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.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnitsLOM
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.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Assumed price Coal (thermal) USD 83 / t *  
* According to 2018 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

CurrencyAverage
OP mining costs ($/t mined) AUD  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t processed) AUD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2018 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Total CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Operating margin, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 10% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 13, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 13, 2023

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2018

Aerial view:

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