Whitehaven gets nod for Maules Creek, construction to start
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Whitehaven Coal on Thursday said it would start construction on its $767-million Maules Creek project after finally winning approval to develop the opencut mine.
“Throughout the three-year approval phase, our project development team has developed an extremely comprehensive project delivery strategy, which has been validated by all levels of government, and we will be commencing construction imminently now that contracts can be executed,” Whitehaven MD Paul Flynn said in a statement.
After extended delays in obtaining approvals, the initial site preparation, including fencing, storage and access roads for the New South Wales project would now kick off next week.
The contract for the design and construction of the rail infrastructure, which was expected to carry up to 12.4-million tons of product a year, was in the final stages of negotiation, while negotiations to finalise other contracts, including power supply and bulk earthworks, were well advanced.
“The premobilisation phase is under way and construction of the rail spur and loop is expected to commence in August, with an approximate 12-month build time, post mobilisation,” he said, adding that all other “significant construction packages” could be completed within that period.
The project, which was approved to extract 13-million tons of coal a year, was expected to deliver first coal sales in the second half of 2014.
Flynn added that the Maules Creek project would employ 340 workers and contractors during construction and 470 during operations.
So far, $160-million of the capital budget had been spent, largely on the coal handling and preparation plant and land purchases.
Shares in Whitehaven rose 1.79% on Wednesday to A$2.28 apiece.
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