The workforce at the mine, which began development in 2012, is more than 90% “cleanskin”, meaning those new to the industry. Yet its safety record has been low and improving as development has continued, Glencore safety officer Kylie Wong said.

“We need to make sure that these good ideas don’t end here,” she said.

A combined production rate at the Ulan complex of up to 20 million tonnes per annum product coal is proposed for the 21-year mine plan.

The project will employ about 930 people, including ancillary contractors, when at full production.

Addressing the conference, NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said that the event was an opportunity to reflect on the past for a safer future.

“The sad events in the Hunter over the last few months have put things into perspective for me. None of the work we do means anything if our people don’t come home from work safely,” he said.

“We have some great speakers here with us and this conference is the perfect place for us to come together and recommit ourselves to safety as our number one priority.”

The conference brings together coal and metals miners. Northparkes Mines managing director and chair of the NSW Minerals Council health and safety committee Stef Loader challenged conference delegates to keep thinking about what they could learn from one another.

“There are many things that are common between coal and metals miners in NSW and there can be no question that there are things that we can learn from the past for a safer future. The more we can talk about what we've learned and can pass on, the better,” she said.

Loader talked about a fatal airblast at Northparkes Mines in 1999 and the impact that it had on the operation and industry.