Coal mining jobs NSW took a positive step forward as Whitehaven Coal announced record monthly coal railings in April to 0.95 Mt an increase in the previous record of 0.82 Mt in January this 2013.

As the company gears up for even further increases in coal production, now is a good time to research Whitehaven if you are looking to start a mining career in NSW.

About Whitehaven Coal

Whitehaven Coal is a public listed company and are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Whitehaven Coal Limited (WHC). They are one of Australian`s leading independently owned mining company who operates in the Gunnedah Coal Basin (NSW). Their Narrabri coal mine produces very high quality thermal coal for the export market. The mine has four continuous underground miners with a production estimate of approximately 6.0Mtpa of ROM (Run Of Mine) coal. Development of a stage 2 mining operation was recently completed at a cost of $300 million. With this investment complete, an extra 0.5 Mtpa of ROM coal will be available until 2025 from mains and gates development.

Whitehaven is projecting its coal production to be somewhere around the 9 million tonne mark. In a recent article about India’s insatiable appetite for coal and how they are experiencing a shortfall of 55 million tonnes of coal per year, coal mining in Australia is set for a new phase of operational productivity.

Production targets are being set as the company looks to increase operational efficiencies at its three open cut coal mines, one underground coal mine, with significant future development of significant coal mining projects in New South Wales. This Maules Creek coal mine and Vickery Projects are examples of future coal extraction operations for Whitehaven.

Due to the size and investment required to operate a profitable coal mining operation, Whitehaven have seen additional investment partners come on board; these include, Electric Power Development Co. Ltd, EDF Trading, Upper Horn Investments Limited and Daewoo International Corporation and Korea Resources Corporation.

Mining Employment NSW with Whitehaven

In our weekly Project News, iMINCO features articles on how to get jobs in mining in Australia. We do this because we feel there are still plenty of�mining positions available no matter what your level of experience or qualification. Whether you are a new starter in the mines, a tradesman looking to transfer your skills into the mining and resource industry, or a degree-qualified professional, you have to start your job search somewhere. iMINCO gets 100’s of emails from people who ask us “How do I get a mining job?“, or “How to get a start in the mining industry?“. Le’s look at how you can sniff-out mining positions just by doing a little bit of investigative work.

When you start to apply for mining jobs with Whitehaven, the more information you have on the company, the more you will be able to quote facts and figures when you are called in for an interview. As they are a listed company on the ASX, this is the first place to look for clues as to the performance of the company and to build your knowledge of their coal mining operations. Just by reading their reports, you will see there are real opportunities for people looking for mining jobs in NSW.

A quick read of Whitehaven’s last financial report reveals the following;

• The Maules Creek development approved by NSW Government, awaiting EPBC approval from the Federal Government. As a job seeker, you need to follow this development, because as soon as the EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) approval comes through, this will mean more mining jobs in NSW will created at this mine.
• A long term rail haulage contract has been entered into with Aurizon Rail. This means Whitehaven are positive about its ability to maintain coal production across it’s mines and has engaged Aurizon as its preferred coal haulage contractor to get the coal to port for export.
• ROM (Run of Mine) open cut coal production has increased 6% from the previous period in 2013, suggesting Whitehaven have a productive workforce and are focussed on increasing these targets.
• Their mining operations at Tarrawonga, Werris Creek, Rocglen and Sunnyside (now in care and maintenance mode) created a production increase of 17% over the same period in 2012.
• The Whitehaven Tarrawonga coal mine and Werris Creek mine and will see delivery of a larger excavator and new, larger haul trucks which will increase it’s productivity and operational costs. If you are looking for a haul truck job in NEW coal mines, then is an opportunity to contact the company and send in your resume.
• Longwall mining operations at the Narrabri mine has achieved a high production rate of 15,000 tonnes of coal in 8.5 hours and a 3 day extraction rate of 30,000 tonnes. The company is also looking at the prospect of�increasing the recoverable coal reserve at Narrabri by 50%� by retro-fitting the longwall for Top Coal Caving (TCC). This is a specialist operation and requires the employment of experienced underground mining operators. Narrabri is expected to produce approximately 4.0 Mtpa in the financial year 2013.

Mining Careers NSW – Underground Mining Operations

Reading through the Whitehaven financial report we can reveal that the Narrabri mining operation has experienced difficulty in recruiting experienced underground miners and professional staff. They report that the situation has improved, however there are still�mining positions at Narrabri up for grabs. Go to http://www.whitehavencoal.com.au/careers/open_cut.cfm for more information on jobs in mining.

Australian mining companies like Whitehaven are looking to hire people who have a real interest in the company and can commit to a long-term mining career. If you can show you are more than just a potential employee, the you will stand a greater chance of being offered a job.

Whitehaven coal mining jobs are currently being advertised on the mining jobs boards like SEEK and INDEED.com.au. For those people looking for work in the NSW coal mining industry, there are a many job opportunities being advertised. These include;

• Open-Cut Mine Opertions Manager
  This role involves maximising profitability of the mining operations by achieving production and financial targets, providing day-to-day leadership to the team, complying with safety, environmental and statutory regulations and standards.
  Tarrawonga Mine, Gunedah, NSW (this is an open-cut mining operation)
• Mine Production Engineer / Surveyo
  Werris Creek Mine, Werris Creek, NSW (Open Cut)
  This role requires a mixture of engineering disciplines including technical contributions to production, planning and quality control. Additional responsibilities would involve taking over control for the preparation of mine production plans as well as reviews and optimisation of all mining activities
• CHPP (coal handling and preparation plant) Supervisors (SEEK)
  Narrabri Coal Mine, NSW
  This role is based at the Narrabri Mine site. Reporting directly to the CHPP Superintendent.�Provide direct supervision of CHPP plant operators and ancillary personnel. Contribute to the safe and efficient operation of the CHPP, manage shifts, responsible for reaching production targets, training and supervision of staff.