The main stratigraphic unit of interest is the Moranbah Coal Measures, which are part of the Blackwater Group. The Moranbah Coal Measures are characterised by seven persistent coal seams. All coal seams are potentially economic.

The SCM is an open-cut mining operation located in the northern Bowen Basin, approximately 6 km south of the township of Collinsville, and is accessed via the State-controlled Bowen Development Road. The abutting rail line, the Newlands System, connects the SCM to the Port of Abbot Point where all coal products are shipped to international customers.

The SCM is permitted to extract up to 6.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal to produce coking and thermal coal products for the export market. The SCM operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Sonoma Coal deposit is primarily made up of two economically viable coal seams which are located predominantly on the Sonoma West mining lease. Four open pits are planned for the Sonoma Coal Project site. The main Sonoma pit will be mined from years 1 to 15. The other three pits will be mined from Year 5 onwards depending on plant scheduling, mining equipment and capacity of the coal handling and processing plant (CHPP). The main Sonoma Pit is constrained to the north by Coral Creek, to the east by the railway line, to the west by the subcrop limits and to the south by the economics of extraction. A levee will be constructed to the north of the main Sonoma pit to protect it from flooding of Coral Creek (based on a 100 year rainfall event).

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