Whitehaven gets approval for Vickery Coal project in Australia

Australian coal miner Whitehaven Coal has been given approval to start development of its Vickery coal project by the New South Wales planning department, the company said on Monday September 22.

September 22, 2014

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Whitehaven will seeka partner to develop the project, in the Gunnedah basin in New South Wales.

“[We will] seek a joint venture for this long-life development, which will produce Maules Creek-quality coal,” Whitehaven ceo Paul Flynn said.

The Vickery project runs alongside a road used by Whitehaven to haul coal from its Tarrawonga and Rocglen mines.

It has total resources of 537 million tonnes, with high-quality thermal and metallurgical coal products.

Whitehaven’s Maules Creek project started in January 2014 and was more than 50% complete by the end of June.

It will ultimately produce about 13 million tpy, with the first coal sales expected in the first quarter of 2015.