The New Clydesdale Colliery is located at Witbank coalfield. In some areas of the Witbank Coalfield, the No. 1 Seam is a source of high-grade steam coal suitable for export after beneficiation (Smith and Whittaker4 and Snyman6). According to Barker7, the No. 1 Seam frequently has very low phosphorus content and in such cases it is usually mined separately as metallurgical feedstock. The No. 2 Seam contains some of the best quality coal.

It generally displays a well-defined zoning with up to seven (five in some areas) distinct coal zones of different coal quality with the three basal zones being mined mainly for the production of low-ash metallurgical coal and export steam coal. The upper part of the seam is generally shaly and unmineable; selective mining takes place within the better quality lower part of the seam (Smith and Whittaker4).

The No. 4 Seam is generally of poor quality and consists of predominantly dull to dull lustrous coal with the upper portion being of poor quality. Thus mining is restricted to the lower 3.5 m portion of the coal-seam, which is mainly used as a power station feedstock and as domestic steam coal (Smith and Whittaker4). The No. 5 Seam has been mined as a source of blend coking coal and for metallurgical uses especially in the central Witbank area where it is of higher quality (Smith and Whittaker4).

Sedimentological investigations of the coal bearing Vryheid Formation (Karoo Sequence) in the Witbank Coalfield have revealed that coal peat deposition was associated with both marine and non-marine palaeodepositional events. At the terminal stage of peat accumulation, swamps were inundated by marine transgressions which deposited mud and silt above the peat (coal) and these overlying sediments contain typical marine features: glauconite associated with marine ichnofossil assemblages. In similar stratigraphic positions elsewhere in the basin, the peat swamps were invaded by basinward prograding non-marine fluvial systems which deposited coarse sand and gravel over the peat. These overlying sediments are coarse-grained arkosic strata.

NCC is situated in the Kriel district about 35 km outside of eMalahleni, Mpumalanga. Within a year of completing the acquisition, Universal Coal brought the underground mine out of care and maintenance and back into production. Having also introduced open pit mining to the operation since then, the operation has proven to be a valuable asset for the company.

The mine is currently operating at the level required to fill the 380 000 tpm coal handling and preparation plant – generating about 300 000 tpm ROM material from four open pit seams and roughly 75 000 tpm ROM material from the Diepsruit underground 2 lower seam.

The mining method preferred for the Diepspruit Underground Area is board and pillar mining with CMs and shuttle cars. The following mine design parameters were deemed appropriate for the pencast area:
- Type of operation: bord and pillar mining.
- Monthly production rate: 40,000 tons.
- The safety factors applied for the bord and pillar underground workings are 2.00 for main developments, 1.6 for secondary developments and 2.2 for undermining structures.
- The mining board width is 7.2 m and the pillar sizes are calculated to ensure the required safety factors are met.
- Number of roadways per panel: average 7-9.
- Minimum coal seam thickness applied is 1.5m, and minimum mining height is 2m and mmaximum mining height of 4m.
- Minimum underground mining depth: 30m.
- Minimum barrier pillar from surface infrastructure: 50m.
- Geological loss applied: none.
- Total mining loss on reserve: 5%.
- Contamination applied: Based on fixed 110mmwaste cut with the coal.
- Infrastructure required to support the proposed underground mine is already established (by Exxaro) and in good working order (currently on care and maintenance).

Coal is treated in the existing NCC coal processing facility that includes conventional crushing, screening and washing circuits based on dense medium separation techniques, at a monthly rate of 170,000 to 190,000 tons of ROM. The plant includes proven processing technology, has a proven record and the planned production rate is consistent to that achieved historically at NCC.