Global miner Xstrata plans to close its United Colleries coal mine in the Hunter Valley in Australia in March of next year after the exhaustion of economically recoverable reserves, the miner said on Friday.
The mine currently produces three million tonnes per year of semi-soft coking coal with a workforce of 174 full-time employees and 46 contractors. A further two million tonnes of coal remains to be extracted before reserves are depleted.
In September, 68 workers would be laid-off after completion of a long-wall development in the underground mine, Xstrata said.
A pre-feasibility study would consider further mining opportunities in the area, it added.
The United Colleries coal mine has been operating since 1989.
Source: Reuters
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