Maules Creek - the largest coal mine under construction in Australia - is forecast to be complete in CY2015, with first coal expected to be railed in March 2015.

The equipment consists of 300t and 170t trucks, excavators and other ancillary equipment. The transaction completes the acquisition of all of the equipment required for the first stage of mining at Maules Creek without using any balance sheet capacity.

The mine, with an expected life-of-mine strip ratio of 6.4:1 and average life-of-mine FOB costs of $67/t, will be one of the lowest-cost open cut coal mines in Australia.

Its initial production rate is planned to be 6Mtpa, however, over a period of three years, production is expected to ramp to 13.0Mtpa ROM coal as additional equipment is sourced for the mine and markets are developed for the coal.

The water supply project which provides water for both the construction activity and permanently for the mine was completed in March. The work, performed by a local contractor Stripes Engineering, was the first significant and critical component of the project to be completed.

Rainfall in late March filled site dams and enabled compaction work to continue unimpeded on the various construction sites.

An additional benefit of the rainfall event is that water draw for the construction project from the Namoi River will be significantly reduced for several months, according to Whitehaven.

Another step for the project was completion of the second stage of the salvage works under the Aboriginal Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

The area covered by the salvage works includes both the box cut for the mine and the first three years planned mining area.

“The successful completion of this work in a relatively short time period reflects positively upon the strength of the working relationships held with the broader indigenous group engaged with Whitehaven on the project,” the company said.

“Rail line construction which represents the longest lead time item for the project remains on schedule.”

Downer was awarded the CHPP erection contract during the March quarter.

Downer has mobilized to the holding yards where the components of the CHPP have been stored near Narrabri.

Initial assembly has started, with major components to be transferred to the site shortly, Whitehaven said.

In another development, the Commonwealth Department of the Environment has concluded its review of the reports prepared by the independent ecologist on the biodiversity offset land package for the Maules Creek project.