Bloomfield Group Rix's Creek mine extension proposal

The Bloomfield Group has applied to extend operations at the Rix's Creek North open-cut mine near Singleton, Australia, for an additional 14 years. If the proposal is approved, mining would continue from 2035 until 2049.

This application is the first coal mine extension to undergo public exhibition following a High Court ruling requiring planning authorities to consider ways to minimize scope 3 emissions—greenhouse gases generated from coal burned overseas—during evaluations. The project's Environmental Impact Statement claims the mine's contribution to climate change is “negligible” and will not “materially influence climate conditions in the Hunter Valley.”

The extension aims to extract an additional 62 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal and retain 325 full-time workers. Economic projections suggest net production and social benefits to New South Wales between approximately $419 million and $483 million over the extension period. Japan is identified as a primary market, accounting for nearly half of the region's thermal and metallurgical coal exports.

Assessment of the proposal involves balancing these economic benefits against impacts on air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the preservation of the historic Kangory (Dulwich) homestead located within the project area.