The sale of the Tahmoor Colliery in New South Wales has been completed, bringing the mine closer to a full resumption of operations under the new GEAR/ M Resources Consortium ownership.
Around 150 workers have already returned to site and are undertaking mining work, with the new operator aiming to bring additional workers back as mining activity ramps up in the coming months.
The completion of the sale is expected to support jobs and local businesses in the Wollondilly and wider Illawarra communities, with Tahmoor also playing a role in supplying metallurgical coal for steelmaking in New South Wales.
The State Government said it had worked with the Mining and Energy Union, liquidators and the local community over the past two years to support the mine’s return to operations.
As a condition of the sale and transfer, the NSW Government required repayment of outstanding royalties before the mining leases could be transferred to the new operator.
Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said the completion of the sale was a positive outcome for the Tahmoor community.
“This is a great outcome for the Tahmoor community. We have long said the mine is a valuable asset and, under the right owners, has a bright future,” Houssos said.
“It means workers are getting back on site, families can look to the future with greater confidence and local businesses can benefit as activity at the mine ramps up.”
The resources regulator will continue overseeing the operation to ensure safety and rehabilitation requirements are met as activity increases at the site.
The government said returning Tahmoor to operation had remained its priority, with the mine’s reopening expected to provide continued support for workers, businesses and the surrounding community.