The 10.5 million mt/year Mount Pleasant thermal coal project in Australia's Hunter Valley has produced its first bypass coal and exports are due to begin shortly, mine owner MACH Energy said Friday.
"Our first coal will be supplied locally for domestic use and we expect export sales to commence early in the Near Year," MACH Energy managing director Ferdian Purnamasidi said.
While construction work, which commenced on the operation in late 2016, is still nearing completion, a majority of the mine infrastructure is now in use.
"Further construction works on the coal handling preparation plant are expected to be completed mid-next year," the company said.
Coal railings are due to begin next week, it said.
