Idemitsu Australia has secured approval for the extension of its 7.0 mt/y Boggabri open-cut thermal coal mine in NSW’s Gunnedah Basin until December 2036. The permission allows the extraction of an additional 28.1 mt of coal within the current site, thereby not expanding the mine’s physical area. Boggabri, which produces low-ash and low-sulphur thermal coal, exports its output via the Newcastle port.
The NSW Planning Department endorsed the project on 22 December, highlighting the balance between resource recovery and environmental concerns. The approval raises the mine’s coal resource by 19% to 173.1 mt and production by 24% to 159.0 mt. The expansion is projected to yield significant royalties and taxes for NSW.
Operated by Boggabri Coal Operations, the mine is part of the BTM complex alongside two Whitehaven Coal mines. Boggabri remains Idemitsu’s sole Australian mine following the sale of its Ensham mine and the closure of Muswellbrook. Idemitsu holds an 80% stake in Boggabri, with Chugoku Electric Power and NS Boggabri owning the rest. Despite some objections, the project bypassed the IPC due to its status as a modification of an existing consent, aligning with recent Labor government commitments for project scrutiny.
