BHP Wins Approval For US$260 Million Mt Arthur Coal Mine Expansion
July 23 2009 - 11:08PM
Dow Jones News
BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) said Friday it has won approval from
the New South Wales state government for its planned US$260 million
expansion of the Mount Arthur Coal mine.
The company said the project is designed to boost thermal coal
output available for sale from the mine to 15 million metric tons a
year from 11.5 million tons with operations to commence in the
first half of calendar 2011.
BHP president of energy coal Dave Murray said the project is
expected to boost the 670 strong workforce at the mine by about a
further 190 workers.
Murray said the extra tons from the expansion will be exported
through the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group development, in
which BHP has a 35% stake alongside other Hunter Valley coal
miners.
-By Alex Wilson, Dow Jones Newswires; 61-3-9292-2094;
alex.wilson@dowjones.com