Mount Owen CL0383

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Mt Owen Complex is located within the Hunter Coalfields at Hebden in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales, approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Singleton, and 26 kilometres southeast of Muswellbrook. Mt Owen Mine forms a major component of the broader Mt Owen Complex.

Mt Owen Mine is a structually complex deposit consisting of 28 seam sections, with dips ranging from 10 to 45 degrees. Mining is undertaken at depths in excess of 280m, which makes Mt Owen one of the deepest operating open cut coal mines in the world.

The Mt Owen Complex has approval to extract and process up to 15Mtpa of Run of Mine (ROM) coal. These high quality export thermal and semi-soft coking coals are predominantly exported to South-East Asia for domestic power generation and use in steel production.

Development consent was originally obtained for Mt Owen Mine in November 1991. The mine was initially approved to produce 1.4 Mt of ROM coal per annum and mining operations commenced in November 1993.

A further Development Application (DA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was lodged for the Mt Owen Mine Extension in 1993. This proposal was subject to a Commission of Inquiry (COI) and development consent was issued in July 1994, allowing the mine to produce 5.3 Mt ROM coal per annum. Development Consent was granted for the construction and operation of the rail loading facility in 1995.

In December 2004, Xstrata Mt Owen, then Hunter Valley Coal Corporation (HVCC) was granted a new Development Approval (DA 14-1-2004) for an expansion to existing approved mining operations at Mt Owen. The Approval allows for the following:

•continuation of existing and approved mining operations at Mt Owen;
•extension of mining operations over a 21 year mine life;
•development of the Eastern Rail Pit;
•development of an out of pit overburden emplacement area known as the West Dump;
•increased Run of Mine (ROM) coal production at Mt Owen from 8 Mtpa to 10 Mtpa;
•construction and operation of a ROM coal receival facility and haul road to enable Mt Owen Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) to receive and process ROM coal from Ravensworth East and Glendell mines;
•modifications to the Mt Owen CHPP allowing for the increased throughput of up to 15 Mtpa ROM coal, and establishment of an additional product coal stockpile;
•increase in the approved handling capacity of the rail loading facility and the Mt Owen rail spur to transport up to 15 Mtpa ROM coal equivalent;
•continued disposal of tailings from the Mt Owen CHPP in voids at Ravensworth East mine;
•associated modifications to the mine water management system; and
•minor changes to infrastructure.
The approved expansion of Mt Owen secures Mt Owens future as a key coal producer and exporter in the region, and means continued employment for approximately 270 people for a further 21 years.

Mt Owen Complex is a contractor mining operation and is currently operated by Thiess Pty Ltd under a partnering agreement with Xstrata Mt Owen. Consequently, the majority of workers at the Complex are employed by Thiess, with a small number employed directly by Xstrata Mt Owen. The highest proportion of employees live in Singleton, followed by Maitland and Muswellbrook.

There is currently approximately 350 people employed full-time at the Mt Owen Complex. In addition, a significant number of full-time and part time contractors are employed.

Reference for information:
www.mtowencomplex.com.au/aboutus_overview.html
www.mtowencomplex.com.au/aboutus_history.html
www.mtowencomplex.com.au/aboutus_employment.html

Reference for location:
bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=257135&c=1&x=151%2E082533712634&y=...