Sydney Mining Club News & Events

White Energy has developed and patented a low cost production method to upgrade high moisture, low energy sub-bituminous coal into a briquette format that satisfies export markets at premium prices and reduces CO2 emissions by some 10% when burnt.  This upgrading of low grade coal to export quality is currently earns a very attractive US$60/t margin.  John McGuigan will explain how White Energy cracked the holy grail of profitably upgrading coal through its test plant at Cessnock; how the company has just commissioned its first commercial 1Mtpa plant at Tabang in Indonesia and how it plans to expand to 5Mtpa.  White Energy is also working with Peabody Energy to build plants in the United States and with Datang International Power to do likewise in China.  It has its sights on a whacking 60Mtpa in 10 Greenhouse year’s time!

Nucoal is working on a new underground mine near Jerrys Plains in the Upper Hunter Valley.  Doyles Creek Mining Pty Ltd acquired this 27km² tenement in late 2008 and now has an inferred resource of 247 million tonnes over three seams at depths from 100m to 500m below surface.  Doyles Creek recently raised $10M, renamed itself Nucoal Resources (NCR), listed and steamed up to a capitalisation around $110M.  Over the next five to six years, Nucoal hopes to prove and build the Hunter’s next substantial mine producing 3.5Mtpa saleable coal.  Two good coal stories – not to be missed!