Malabar Resources officially opened the Maxwell Underground mine in the Upper Hunter Valley on July 9, marking the project’s transition from construction to long-term production.
The mine produces high-quality coal, with at least 75% of its output suitable for use as metallurgical coal in steelmaking. The project was approved in December 2020, and construction began in May 2022.
Malabar said the Maxwell Underground mine is supporting 430 full-time, long-term jobs, with its workforce based in the Upper Hunter region.
“This is a proud milestone for Malabar, but more importantly, it is a milestone for the people who have helped deliver it. Our team lives locally, works locally and contributes locally. These are people from Muswellbrook, Denman, Aberdeen, Scone, Singleton and the surrounding towns who have helped build a project that will be part of the Upper Hunter for decades to come,” said Wayne Seabrook, executive chairman of Malabar Resources.
The company said the mine had been designed from the outset to coexist with surrounding industries and land uses in the Upper Hunter.
Malabar’s broader presence in the Hunter includes the Maxwell Underground mine, the recently announced Maxwell North project, large-scale renewable energy projects such as the approved Maxwell Solar Farm, the proposed 350MW Edderton Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System, the Mayfield mega-scale battery project in partnership with Akaysha, and the rehabilitation of previously mined land for agricultural and renewable energy uses.
“When people talk about a diversified Hunter, this is what it looks like in practice: mining, renewables, agriculture, rehabilitation and local jobs supporting one another,” Seabrook said.
