The Mt Owen Complex (MOC) is located at Hebden, approximately 20 km north-west of Singleton in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW.

Mt Owen is situated between two regional thrust faults, the Hunter Thrust and the Hebden Thrust that limit the lateral extent of the coal seams. Seam dips vary throughout the deposit, with dips being steep (up to 45 º ) in the areas near the Hunter and Hebden Thrusts where parallel thrusts dislocate the seam by up to 40 metres.

Up to 22 mineable coal intervals are recognised, ranging in thickness from 0.2 metre to 10 metres, within a stratigraphic interval of approximately 350 metres, the coal seams comprise a total thickness of approximately 55 metres.

The seams for which there is potential for economic extraction at Mt Owen include the Lemington Seams, Pikes Gully Seams, Arties Seams, Upper Liddell Seams, Middle Liddell Seams, Lower Liddell Seams, Barrett Seams, Upper Hebden Seams and the Lower Hebden Seams.

The mineable coal seams at Ravensworth East vary in thickness from 0.3 metres to 8.5 metres, and include the Ravensworth and Bayswater seams over a stratigraphic interval of approximately 130 metres (maximum) from the surface. These seams form part of the Jerry's Plains Sub-Group of the Whittingham Coal Measures.

Mineable coal seams at Glendell range in thickness from 0.3m to 3.5m including Pikes Gully, Arties, Upper Liddell, Middle Liddell, Lower Liddell and Barrett seams.

Similar mining methods are employed across the Mt Owen Complex. Mining is currently carried out by large excavators and haul trucks supported by ancillary equipment including water carts, dozers, graders, fuel and service carts, loaders and drills.

The sequence of mining involves clearing of vegetation and topsoil, drilling and blasting of overburden, followed by the excavation and haulage of overburden from a series of sequential mining blocks to the emplacement areas (see Figure left). The coal that is uncovered is then hauled to the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) for processing. The clean coal is conveyed to the product stockpile before being transported by rail for approximately 120 kilometres to the port of Newcastle for export.

- subscription is required.