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United Wambo Joint Venture Open Cut

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  • The United Wambo Joint Venture Open Cut mine commenced operation in 2020 and produces thermal and semi-soft metallurgical coal for export.

    United Wambo Joint Venture 2023 contribution

    • $696m

      Total contribution

    • 4,683,000

      Tonnes of saleable product

    • 540

      Employees and contractors

    • $361m

      Spent on goods and services

    Location

    United Wambo is located 16 kilometres west of Singleton in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales.

    Ownership

    United Wambo is a 50:50 joint venture between United Collieries (Glencore and MEU) and Wambo Coal (Peabody).

    The United Wambo Joint Venture includes joint development of lease areas owned by Wambo and United. The joint venture:

    • maximises resource recovery by removing constraints from surface boundaries and stratified leases
    • uses spare capacity in Wambo-owned coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) and train loading facilities
    • excludes Wambo underground operations to the south of the joint venture tenement area.

    Glencore is the manager of the joint venture. Wambo remains the owner and manager of the Wambo Underground, CHPP, train loading and other site facilities.

    Formation of the joint venture

    Glencore and Peabody began planning the new venture in 2012, with key milestones including:

    • signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and public announcement of the joint venture in November 2014
    • submitting United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project - SSD 7142 Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) on 30 June 2015
    • lodging United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project Development Application and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the DPE on 11 August 2016
    • placing the EIS on public exhibition from 11 August 2016 to 22 September 2016 (during which 103 submissions were made, including 78 from the community)
    • release of the then DPE’s Final Assessment Report to the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (IPC) on 12 November 2018, deeming the Project and associated modifications to Wambo consents approvable subject to conditions
    • approval of the project with conditions by the IPC on 29 August 2019
    • approval of the project by the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy (now Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment) on 5 December 2019
    • commencement of operation and project construction on 6 January 2020.

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