Along the structurally disturbed north-eastern edge of the Bowen Basin, the coals range in rank from anthracite to low volatile bituminous, and deposits tend to exhibit a complex structure. Coals in the central part of the basin are medium to high volatile bituminous and include the best coking coals. Structural deformation in these deposits is generally relatively mild.

Coal-bearing horizons have been preserved at many stratigraphic levels throughout the Bowen Basin, but deposits of economic importance are restricted to four groups.

Group II coal measures, also of Early Permian age, occur as several unconnected deposits located around the northern and western margins of the basin. These include the Collinsville Coal Measures in the north, the Rugby Coal Measures south-west of Moranbah, and a group of deposits in the Clermont area, including the Blair Athol and Wolfang Basins, which are structural outliers of the Bowen Basin. The Calen Coal Measures, which occur near the coast north of Mackay, are also considered to be of similar age.

Wolfang Coal Measures of Lower Permian age, essentially flat lying, but with steep dips near faults along the western margin of the deposit. The main seam of economic interest, the Wolfang seam, averages 38m in thickness in the initial mine area. A further five relatively thin unnamed seams of variable thickness and distribution also occur, but these contain less than 5% of the planned mining reserves.

Clermont Open Cut is a truck and shovel operation.

The low Run of Mine strip ratio (3.2:1) and minimal processing (90% coal does not require washing) combined with the high quality coal, means the mine has a first quartile margin position in the seaborne thermal coal market.

After processing at Clermont, coal is transported by an overland conveyor to the stockpile and rail loading facilities at the nearby Blair Athol mine. The coal is exported primarily through the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal.