The mine is on schedule to deliver first coal from the longwall in Q2 and continues to build workforce numbers, with 134 staff and mineworkers on site.

Glencore said it would re-open the Integra underground mine after purchasing the asset from former owner Vale in 2015. The mine had been in care and maintenance since 2014.

The restart involves mining one longwall block already formed and completing a second longwall block that had been partially developed by the former owners.

Integra is expected to produce 1.3 million tonnes of high fluidity saleable coking coal for 2017.

Operations manager Peter Ostermann said a drilling program was underway across the mine lease to look at longer term options for Integra.

“Glencore have agreed to support our capital request for up to $5million to learn more about the resource that’s available on the combined lease footprint between the Integra, Glendell and Mt Owen operations,” he said.

“At the moment, we don’t have sufficient data to make informed decisions on the mine’s future beyond two longwalls and the exploration program will give us the information to make those decisions should the market for coal remain positive.”