Australian Pacific Coal’s Dartbrook coal mine in NSW Hunter faces uncertain future

Plans to revive a mothballed underground coal mine in the NSW Hunter Valley are under a cloud, as financial reports reveal the operator is in “dire financial straits”.

Australian Pacific Coal (AQC) reached an agreement with the State Government last year that paved the way for the Dartbrook mine near Aberdeen to reopen for the first since 2006.

Just as the Independent Planning Commission was set to rubber stamp approval, the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBA) successfully joined the case as a party, which sent the matter back to the Land and Environment Court.

AQC has lodged an appeal against HTBA’s involvement, which will be heard in the first half of this year.

In January, AQC announced it was conducting a…