Local Mines
GLENCORE:
Ulan West Modification 8: RtS Released
Glencore has withdrawn its proposed tailings dam, but several agency concerns on water, emissions and biodiversity remain unresolved.
The RtS for Ulan West Modification 8 is now public. The company has dropped the proposed tailings dam beside the Goulburn River after the community and the EPA flagged seepage risk, citing capacity in existing tailings dams. That reduces the project's disturbance by about 132ha and cuts Box Gum Woodland impacts from 31.77ha to 2.43ha.
Key Points:
- They dispute parts of NSW DCCEEW Water's advice on groundwater and surface water, committing only to review its mine plan for a buffer along a tributary of Cockabutta Creek
- They maintain its Scope 3 emissions estimate of 105 Mt CO2-e, but exclude those emissions from its economic assessment, contrary to recent high court rulings
- The company has dropped the proposed tailings dam beside the Goulburn River
MDEG's Position:
- Modification 8 should be assessed as a new project, not a modification
- The company confirms 105 Mt of Scope 3 emissions but excludes them, despite the High Court's 7 October 2026 Mount Pleasant ruling that planning authorities must consider emissions from overseas burning of coal
- Water, groundwater and biodiversity concerns from DCCEEW and CPHR are only partly answered
Key Links:
YANCOAL:
OC3 IPC - Watch This Space
Yancoal's koala-killing open cut expansion heads to independent review.
Yancoal's Moolarben Open Cut 3 (OC3) expansion project is awaiting referral to the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for determination. The public hearing date will be announced shortly — and this is your chance to be heard.
OC3 would clear 113 hectares of breeding koala habitat and 80 hectares of Regent Honeyeater habitat, add 30 million tonnes of coal production, generate 64.6 million tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions, and risk a 500-metre buffer zone adjacent to Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve being reduced to just 100 metres.
Yancoal's recent amendments are cosmetic — habitat offsets cannot replace what will be lost.
When the IPC hearing date is announced, you can:
- Register to speak at the public hearing
- Attend community briefings and submission workshops
- Subscribe to stay informed
Key Links:
PEABODY:
Wilpinjong: EPBC referral
Yancoal's plan for another 810 hectares and 70 million tonnes of coal is now under federal scrutiny.
Wilpinjong Coal Mine's Continuation Project has been referred to the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The project proposes expanding mining operations east of Wollar Village through to 2038.
The expansion threatens Regent Honeyeater and Koala habitat, would destroy prime agricultural land, and poses significant cumulative risks to the Wollar Creek catchment—which flows into Goulburn River National Park. Amenity impacts on Wollar Village include 24-hour noise, air quality degradation, and increased traffic.
MDEG's submission highlighted that assessment information was limited and impact mitigation inadequate, particularly for threatened species and water resources.
Key Links:
In the press:
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- Western Advocate Bathurst Ulan Mod 6 Approval
- ABC News story on UG4 and Groundwater (from: 2.05 - 3.07)
- ABC News: Glencore Australia's Ulan Coal Mine expansion near Mudgee approved By Hamish Cole
- NSW Country Hour, Mon 26 May 2025 Presented by Michael Condon (42:30 - 48:05)
- Continued coal expansionforces all other industries to make faster & deeper cuts to emissions. NSW's Net Zero Commission warns: it won’t be mining that pays. Read more.
- Lock The Gate: As record floods raged, NSW Government quietly approved fifth coal mine expansion
- 'Bad reputation': coal mine bid to expand in koala, black cockatoo habitat by Saffron Howden
- Assessment Report: Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
- ABC News: "Wollar residents fear for town's future with temporary accommodation bid for coal mine workers"
- ABC Listen: "Country Hour"
Socials
Sign the letter Against Moolarben OC3
Mudgee Coal Alert
Mudgee Coal Alert is a community action group in the Upper Hunter opposing new coal expansions in the Mudgee region.
Our focus is on three large coal mines which operate North of Mudgee on Wiradjuri land: Yancoal's Moolarben Mine, Glencore's Ulan Mine and Peabody's Wilpinjong Mine. Their approvals allow them to produce a combined volume of up to 58 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) until 2038. The three coal mines were the largest producers of coal in NSW for 2023. Yancoal's Moolarben Mine topped the list producing 14.2 million tonnes of coal. Closely followed by the Glencore's Ulan Mine with 11,3 million tonnes and Peabody's Wilpinjong Mine with 11.2 million tonnes.
Climate science and the International Energy Agency have declared that to ensure a safe climate future no more new coal can be mined.
All three mines are currently planning to expand!
If these expansion plans are approved it will make a mockery of NSW Government Climate Change target of 50 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030.
The target of net zero emissions by 2050 will be impossible.
Any expansion of fossil fuels is dangerous and irresponsible.
Don’t turbo charge climate change!
It is time to put a stop to the further expansion of coal in the Mudgee Region.
Stop Coal Expansion in the Mudgee Region!
Three large coal mines operate North of Mudgee on Wiradjuri land: Yancoal's Moolarben Mine, Glencore's Ulan Mine and Peabody's Wilpinjong Mine. The mines intersect farming land, the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone and awe-inspiring National Parks.
The three mines were the biggest producers of coal in NSW in 2023 with a combined production of 36.7 million tonnes - equivalent to 89 MT CO2e. The overall CO2e could be as great as 1.7 billion tonnes with current approvals and proposed expansions. This is three times Australia’s emissions from all sources.
All three mines are planning to expand! Yancoal’s proposed Moolarben OC3 expansion will produce an additional 30 million tonnes of coal, Glencore’s Ulan Mod 6 will produce an additional 16 million tonnes of coal and extend mining operations up to 2035, Peabody’s Wilpinjong Mine is planning an extension to produce an additional 34 million tonnes of coal.
Continuing to approve expansions of mines this size makes a mockery of the NSW target of 50% reductions by 2030. The target of net zero emissions by 2050 will be impossible. The NSW Government has recently admitted that they are already struggling to meet these legislated targets under the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023.
The three mines are also within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. Competition for workforce, accommodation and services are very high. There is no justification to expand coal mining in a region with fast-tracked renewable energy generation.
To ensure a safe climate future, no new coal can be mined.
Did You Know?
They Don't Pay Tax
The three multinational coal companies operating in the Mudgee Region: Glencore, Yancoal and Peabody Energy pay minimal to NIL tax in Australia while making significant profits that are sent offshore.
They Threaten Tourism
Mudgee is NSW top tourist destination. These mines are adjacent to the Goulburn River, the National Park and Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve (an Important Bird Area). They threaten the leading natural tourism attraction – The Drip Gorge.
They Threaten Our Water
Current coal operations have approval to draw a staggering 24,000 million litres of groundwater from the landscape every year – that’s more than 9,000 Olympic swimming pools!
They're Expanding
The coal mine operations mining leases (MLs) cover a combined area of approximately 300 km2 equivalent to the distance between Chatswood and Penrith. Additional 165km2are held under exploration licences (ELs).