As reported in ILN on Friday, a spokesperson for BHP Billiton – the owner of Broadmeadow along with Mitsubishi confirmed the longwall move had been completed at Broadmeadow but would not put a precise figure on how many jobs were affected.

A spokesperson for Delta SBD told ILN:”Delta SBD recently completed a longwall move contract at BMA's Broadmeadow mine in Queensland.

“The company had a small workforce at the site, the majority of whom have since been redeployed at Anglo’s Grasstree longwall move. Delta SBD has also just commenced mobilisation for the new longwall top coal cave project at Broadmeadow.

“The company anticipates further expansion in the region and no redundancies from the Delta SBD team.”

Delta SBD had been contracted to undertake three longwall moves at Broadmeadow.

The $450 million Broadmeadow life-extension project, which will increase productive capacity by 400,000 tonnes per annum and extends life of the mine by 21 years, is on schedule and on budget and is 74% complete, according to the BHP Billiton exploration and development report for the June quarter.

First production from the extension project is slated for 2013.

Foxleigh produces around 2.5Mtpa of pulverised coal injection coal for the steelmaking industry. The mine’s production capacity is 3.3Mtpa of product coal and estimated coal resources are approximately 290Mt.

In the first six months of FY2012, Delta SBD acquired additional longwall relocation and coal drivage development equipment, completed six longwall projects and increased its workforce by 17%.