Ashton ML1533

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This is mining lease ML1533 which is for the Ashton Coal Mine that is owned 100% by Yancoal Australia and has both open cut and underground mining. The lease was granted February 26, 2003 with an expiry date of February 25, 2024. The approximate area is 883.4 hectares and the lease falls under Act year 1992. Aston acquired Felix Resources in 2009 to gain a 60% interest in the mine then in 2011 acquired a third party minority interest to get 90%. In November of 2014 Yancoal bought out Itochu Corporations 10% Interest but Itochu kept the exclusive sales rights for all Ashton coal sold to Japanese customers. All leases are registered under White Mining (NSW) Pty Limited which was a subsidiary of Felix.

Mining in the North East Open Cut commenced in early 2004 and ended on September 24, 2011 with the last mining of the Hebden seam. The South East Open Cut mine was approved on October 4, 2012 but was appealed in September 2013 with no outcome as of 2015. That pit is planned on exploration licences EL4918 and EL5860 which would be converted to mining leases if the mine gets the final approval. South East Open Cut would have an extraction of 3.6 million tonnes per annum over a 7 year life of mine. Underground mine is done using longwall methods with approval to produce approximately 3.9 million tonnes per annum of high quality semi-soft coking and export thermal coal.

Reserves as of December 2013 were 41 million tonnes with an estimated life of mine (LOM) until 2027. Approved seams which can be mined are: Pikes Gully, Upper Liddell, Upper Lower Liddell, Lower Barrett, with seam thickness ranging from 1.8 to 2.8 meters. Longwall panels are extracted after continuous miners develop main headings and twin heading gateway roads. All underground roadways are driven at around 2.6 meters mined height. Coal is processed in the Asthon coal preparation facility then conveyed to rail load point for rail shipment to Newcastle at Port Waratah Coal Services.