Its 30%-owned Hume project is located in an established coal field in the southwest portion of the southern coalfield of NSW, approximately 160km from Sydney with existing rail infrastructure providing access to Port Kembla.

“The project's coking coal exhibits strong metallurgical properties of very low phosphorus, high CSN and good fluidity,” the company said.

The company reviewed the parameters defining the JORC resource and as a result increased its JORC resource estimate by 288%.

The resource is no longer limited to a two metre minimum coal thickness cut off and therefore extends over a greater area than previously reported.

Cockatoo is also conducting an exploration drilling campaign in the area that is meeting stiff opposition from some prominent local property owners.

Open, cored, and water monitoring drill holes continue to be drilled. A large diameter (150mm) coring program has recently started and will provide samples for washability test work.

“Ongoing review of historical cored holes in concert with the incorporation of validated data provides the company with increasing confidence in the extent, continuity and quality of the resource,” Cockatoo said.

“The revised JORC resource estimate arising from the review forms an important part of the prefeasibility study of the Hume project that includes mine planning, water table and environmental studies, set to commence in the coming weeks.”