Current operations: Tahmoor South

Mining of the Tahmoor South Domain commenced on 18 October 2022 and extends the life of the mine by a further 10 years, up until 2032.

The journey of coking coal

Longwall mining and subsidence

Tahmoor Coal use the longwall mining method which involves removing coal in one long rectangular block using a shearer.

The shearer is a circular piece of equipment with picks which shaves coal from the longwall. The shearer moves forward on tracks as coal is continuously removed. The removed coal falls onto a conveyor behind the shearer to transport it to the surface.

To support the roof of the longwall during the mining process, large mechanical roof supports or ‘chocks’ hold up the area where the shearer is working. The chocks move with the shearer and allow the roof to safely fall behind the working area, forming what is known as the ‘goaf’. The falling roof is what causes movement on the surface known as subsidence.