Whitehaven increases Maules Creak reserves

Whitehaven Coal has increased its Maules Creek JORC opencast coal reserves significantly, following an infill drilling programme and revised mine plan. Coal reserves at the mine now stand at 510 million t – an increase of 129 million t or 34% on the previous statement.

Marketable reserves at Maules Creek increased by 111 million t to 460 million t. The additional reserves have the potential to add a number of years to mine life of the project, the company said.

The new mine plan at Maules Creek includes an extensive area in the north of the project area. The mine began railing coal in December 2014 and achieved production of 7.4 million t of saleable coal in the financial year to June (FY2016).

The increase in reserves at Maules Creek was slightly offset by a small reduction in coal reserves at Whitehaven’s Narrabri mine, a result of mining depletion and a change in the mine plan geometry and geological model. Small reductions in reserves at Tarrowonga, Rocglen and Werris Creek were also recorded, a result of mining depletion.

Whitehaven’s recoverable coal reserves increased by 94 million t to 982 million t, of which 334 million t are proved and 649 are probable. Marketable reserves increased by 82 million to 883 million t, while the company’s total coal resources now stand at 4.037 billion t.

Edited by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/15082016/whitehaven-increases-maules-creak-reserves-2016-2226/