Northern Energy Corporation announces Drilling Programme for Maryborough Coking Coal Project

摘要

Northern Energy Corporation (NEC) has announced that the initial drilling programme for its Maryborough coking coal project is due to commence in the first half of October. An initial programme of 13 holes and a total of approximately 630m core drilling is due to commence on EPC 923 (NEC 100 percent), north of Maryborough in South East Queensland. The programme including analysis is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2007. Drilling is planned to the south of previously mined areas of the Burrum coalfield in targets previously drilled by Queensland Department of Mines and private interests and identified as potential future mining sites. While traditionally used to raise steam, the Burrum syncline coals exhibit a very high proportion of vitrinite, high swell and low ash content. These coals are noted throughout technical literature as possessing caking properties. While a comparatively young coal, deformation on the syncline and elevated thermal environment coupled with favourable coal composition appear to have combined to produce a coal with latent, unrealised coking potential.