The miner sold some 17,455t of coal from its Cascade mine, located on the edge of the Denniston plateau and approximately 60,716t was sold from its Takitimu thermal coal operations.

In the company’s latest quarterly report, Bathurst said a major highlight was shipping first coal from its Cascade mine which was exported from Westport to the Port of Taranaki in November.

The Cascade open cut is the first production block in the company’s South Buller operations.

The mine has historically produced approximately 45,000 tonnes per annum of high-value low-contaminant coal for the local industrial market, however, Bathurst is looking to ramp up production to 100,000tpa over the next six months.

Meanwhile, the company commenced mediation with the Fairdown-Whareatea Residents Association, which is fighting the granting of the resource consents for Bathurst’s Escarpment tenement.

The Escarpment project is situated on the South Buller region in New Zealand’s South Island and could potentially produce up to 2 million tonnes per annum of coal.

Last August, Bathurst was granted resource consents for Escarpment, prompting West Coast ENT, the Fairdown-Whareatea Residents Association and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand to appeal the decision on the grounds of ecological damage from the proposed mine.

During the quarter, a pre-conference hearing date was set for February 13.

It will seek to establish a timetable of key matters and submission items that are required to be completed before the formal court process begins.

Bathurst is hopeful of a successful outcome and predicts Escarpment to be in production by mid-2012.

During the quarter, Bathurst continued to develop plans for its Coalbrookdale project which comprises three permits adjacent to the company’s existing Escarpment and Cascade blocks at South Buller.

Bathurst is close to completing drilling and technical studies and will shortly be in a position to award an underground mining contract.