The announcement came after Endocoal upgraded the project’s Joint Ore Reserves Committee–compliant resource by 500% to 312.5 million tonnes.

Endocoal chief executive Tim Hedley said the presence of PCI quality coal at Rockwood coupled with its 500% upgrade to 312.5 million tonnes of JORC compliant resources would enable the company to move forward with mine planning.

“With these results, Endocoal will now assess how best to maximise Rockwood’s overall return by identifying and servicing those export customers where the coal supplied delivers the best value-in-use outcomes,” Hedley said.

“Endocoal can now commence conceptual mine planning at Rockwood with great confidence.”

The coal from the multi-seam Rockwood deposit was analysed by Gallagher Consulting, a Brisbane–based coal technology consulting group, where the coal’s physical and chemical properties were assessed.

The study also considered consistency in coal quality both within and between the multiple coal intersections present.

The coal is expected to be well suited to the PCI market after studies indicated it could be classed as anthracite.

Rockwood sits strategically near Macarthur’s proposed fourth mine, Codrilla, which is about 30km away from its existing Moorvale mine.

Endocoal owns a number of tenements in Queensland and New South Wales, including the Meteor Downs South thermal coal mine, which is predicted to be in operation by 2013.