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The target seam was also attractive and continuous with no seam weathering, the company told the RBS Morgan Emerging Coal conference.
“Selective mining delivers higher yield and higher quality and it is cost competitive with higher ratio opencast mining,” MetroCoal said.
“Its benefits not only include yield and quality but a small environmental footprint with a low regional impact.”
MetroCoal plans to develop a longwall mining operation at Bundi with an export coal capacity in excess of 5 million tonnes per annum, with initial development commencing in 2015 and longwall production commencing 2017.
The project’s mining concept study is being carried out by Mining Consultancy Services (Australia) and the coal handling and prep plant study by Sedgman.
The roof will be sandstone, siltstone or coal in thick seam areas and the floor typically sandstone or siltstone depending on the working section choice.
The company is also planning to develop a longwall mining operation at the Columboola Joint Venture (Sino Coal 51%, MetroCoal 49%) in Queensland with an export coal capacity in excess of 7Mtpa.
Initial development for Columboola will be 2016, with longwall production starting in 2018.
