Whitehaven Coal began railing coal out from its Maules Creek mine on Wednesday night, approximately three months ahead of the original schedule.
The coal rail out was advised in an announcement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
Managing Director and CEO Paul Flynn is pleased with the development, less than a year since construction of the project started.
“Maules Creek is already having a substantial positive economic impact on local towns, the region more broadly and the state as a whole,” he said.
The company expects the mine to produce approximately 2.5 million tonnes of unprocessed coal before June 30 next year.
Maules Creek Coal Mine is expected to be fully commercial from July 1 2015, producing approximately 6 million tonnes of unprocessed coal annually.
During construction the project has provided employment for up to 600 full time equivalents and contractors, and once fully operational it’s expected to employ 450.
Most of these workers will be hired from the Gunnedah and Narrabri areas.
“Whitehaven expect the completion of major infrastructure by May, and for costs to remain within the $767 million budget” the company’s announcment said.
“Major construction components which remain in progress include the erection of the coal handling preparation plant (CHPP), provision of permanent power, product coal stockyards and workshops. The CHPP is due to be completed before the end of May 2015 and at that time it is expected to be the last of the major infrastructure components to be completed.”