The Bloomfield Group (TBG) has received a decision by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to approve the Rix's Creek South Continuation Project.
The updated consent clears the way for operations at Rix's Creek South Coal Mine to continue operating for another 21 years, securing hundreds of local jobs.
The decision also ensures that millions of dollars will continue to be injected into the community. The project provides wages and payments to suppliers and contractors in addition to royalties, taxes and payments across all levels of government. The continuation of mining also means the Bloomfield Group can continue its decades-long support for numerous community and charity organisations and events.
"We are reviewing the conditions of our consent and we look forward to progressing our operations in a manner both we and the community can continue to be proud of," Bloomfield CEO Brett Lewis said.
"We wholeheartedly thank our employees, contractors and the local community who understand the benefit of the project and have remained supportive over the six-year consent renewal process.
"Years of uncertainty has meant that it has not been an easy time for many, but we can now look ahead with confidence to deliver a great project."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The current Rix's Creek Coal Mine has been operating since 1990 and its consent was set to expire on 24 June (2019), but was extended until March 2020, providing the IPCN with additional time to complete its assessment of the mine's long-term continuation consent application.
The mine will progress for about 1.5km in a westward direction away from Singleton, with land being backfilled and remediated.
It will very much be business as usual at the site, with neighbours and the surrounding community not likely to notice significant change. The intention is to continue extracting similar volumes on average, with some flexibility to cater for year-to-year market and operational variations and a modest increase in maximum allowable coal production, until resources at the site are exhausted.
The Continuation Project relates to the original Rix's Creek Mine site, not the neighbouring former Integra / Camberwell site which The Bloomfield Group acquired in 2015.
The Bloomfield Group is a proud and successful mining and engineering group. The only 100 percent locally owned coal miner in the Hunter Valley, The Bloomfield Group has been part of the local community for more than 85 years and employs more than 600 local people. It operates two open-cut coal mines - Rix's Creek Coal Mine northwest of Singleton and Bloomfield Coal Mine east of Maitland.
