climate

The Maules Creek coal mine expansion flies in the face of the impending climate crisis.

Here is a map showing the coal exploration area that is part of Whitehaven coal’s 17 year expansion plan that will see it ramping up it’s coal mining operation at Maules Creek to 14 million tonnes pa from 2028 – 2045. The miner says it will be drilling core holes to 600 meters in depth envisaging a pit of monstrous proportions with the combination of the new exploration area and the existing pit. It says;

‘Whitehaven Coal is planning to undertake exploration activities to the north of the Maules Creek Coal Mine within the “Wollondilly” property. The exploration program is expected to occur over a 12-month period from late March 2024. The activities will occur within the existing tenement Authorisation 346.

These exploration activities have been authorised by the Resources Regulator and will be carried out in accordance with the Exploration Code of Practice: Environmental Management (NSW Resources Regulator, 2021).¹

The activities include:

• Open hole and cored drilling at 16 sites to a depth of approximately 150 metres to 600 metres
• In-situ lithological logging
• Geophysical logging and surveys
• Coal, gas and geotechnical sampling

The proposed expansion plans shown in the Scoping Report on the Planning Dept Website along with the Secretaries Environmental Assessment Requirements and agency responses.