---
title: "Hunter Valley Operations Wins NSW Approval to Mine Until…"
canonical: "https://www.metaintro.com/blog/hunter-valley-operations-2045-extension-1500-jobs"
language: "en"
author: "drashtigarach"
published: "2026-09-30T13:10:08.000Z"
modified: "2026-09-30T13:10:08.000Z"
---

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# Hunter Valley Operations Wins NSW Approval to Mine Until 2045, and Its 1,500 Jobs Now Hinge on a Federal Decision

NSW approved the HVO mine near Singleton to run to 2045, home to about 1,500 jobs, but HVO still needs federal approval by December. What workers should know.

[![Drashti Garach](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/5719d740-e510-42bc-8017-e040d145f35f_1766029465094.png)Drashti Garach @DrashtiGarach](/blog/author/drashtigarach)

[September 30, 2026](/blog/archive/2026/09)13 min read

![A terraced open-cut coal mine with haul trucks on a winding road under a clear sky](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/final-10414.jpg)

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The mine was due to close in December, putting an [estimated 1,500 jobs at risk](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996), and on 30 September the [NSW Independent Planning Commission](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/cases/hvo-north-and-south-open-cut-coal-continuation-projects) approved the plan to keep it running. Under the approval, set out in the [Statement of Reasons for Decision](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), open-cut mining at the HVO complex can continue until the end of 2045 for HVO North and the end of 2042 for HVO South. These are existing jobs rather than new openings, since the Commission records [no change to operational workforce](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), and the project still requires a [federal environmental approval](https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/approval-biggest-coal-project-nsw-045516000.html) as well. For [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com) readers who work in mining, trades or the businesses that supply them, the useful detail sits in how the approval treats the workforce, the federal deadline that remains and the plan the operator must now write for the day the mine does close.

## What Did the Planning Commission Actually Approve?

The Commission approved two State significant development applications, one for [HVO North and one for HVO South](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/), which together cover the extraction of [approximately 430 million tonnes of ROM coal](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/cases/hvo-north-and-south-open-cut-coal-continuation-projects) through to 2042 and 2045. The applicant is Hunter Valley Operations Pty Ltd, and the project includes [24/7 operations, extensions of existing mining areas and the mining of deeper coal seams](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf).

Under the [HVO North consent](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), mining operations may be carried out on the site, within the approved disturbance area, [until 31 December 2045](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), and they may run [24 hours a day, 7 days a week](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf).

The decision followed a [long public process](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/). A three-member panel considered [more than 10,500 written submissions and 129 verbal submissions](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/) over a three-day public hearing, and met the applicant, the Muswellbrook Shire and Singleton councils and several state agencies. A request for extra information on the shortest period needed to [implement an orderly transition delayed the determination by four weeks](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/).

## Are These New Jobs, or Jobs That Were Already There?

They were [already there](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/). Under the existing approval the operational workforce is [up to approximately 1,500 FTE workers across the HVO complex, and the approved project records no change to operational workforce](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). The approval does not add operational jobs.

The temporary work is different, and the same table lists up to 600 workers for construction, covering [transmission line decommissioning and realignment and water management system works](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). The project also includes a [realignment of Lemington Road and a new bridge](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/) to replace the flood-prone Moses Crossing.

The planning department also [projected the workforce over the life of the project](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). The operational workforce is projected to [peak at 1,407 full time equivalent jobs in 2034, with an average of 1,311 FTE jobs over the life of the Project](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), excluding on-site contractors, in the planning department's projection. So the [1,500 figure](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/) describes the workforce as it stands, while the department's projection leaves out on-site contractors.

## Why Was the Mine Due to Close in December?

The mine was running on a [short-term extension](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/). In April 2025 it was given a [last-minute extension that allowed it to continue operating until December this year](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996). Under the operator's continuation plan, HVO North runs [from 2026 until 2045 and HVO South from 2030 until 2042](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/).

The plan the Commission approved is also [smaller than the one first put forward](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). HVO North was originally proposed for [continued mining until 2050](https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/hvo-north-open-cut-coal-continuation-project?page=45). In August 2025 the applicant amended it, cutting total ROM coal by [approximately 220 Mt and bringing the end date at HVO North forward by five years, from 2050 to 2045](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). HVO says the amended plan reflects [significant changes to the proposed mine plan largely centered around reducing greenhouse gas emissions](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/).

The Commission [weighed a shorter approval](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf) too. In granting the full period, it [accepted evidence from the Applicant concerning the impact of a shorter period on mine planning, capital recovery and operational integration](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf).

> The Commission accepts that refusal of the Project would have significant social consequences for employees, contractors, their families and the broader Hunter region, according to [the Commission's Statement of Reasons](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf).

## What Still Stands Between These Workers and 2045?

A [federal decision](https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/approval-biggest-coal-project-nsw-045516000.html). HVO said after the ruling that it [still needs to secure a critical federal government environmental approval by the end of December 2026](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996) to continue operations, and that it will continue to engage with the National Environmental Protection Agency. That is the same month the [current approval to operate until December](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996) ends, and HVO described the state ruling as [one step closer to long-term certainty](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996).

The [federal track](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/) has its own history. Under the national environment law, the project was [determined to be a Controlled Action in October 2025](https://www.hvo.com.au/continuation-project/) because of proposed impacts on water resources and biodiversity, and the draft PERs, the federal assessment documents, were on public exhibition from 5 May to 17 June 2026.

A [court challenge](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/) is also possible. NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee [cautioned that a legal challenge was highly likely](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/), adding that the approval [remains in place until, and if, it is overturned](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/).

## What Conditions Did the Commission Attach?

The Commission imposed [a series of conditions relating to greenhouse gas emissions](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/), and several come with deadlines. Within three months of the consent starting, the operator must prepare a [Scope 3 Management Plan](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), which sets out [measures limiting coal exports to jurisdictions with greenhouse gas policies consistent with the Paris Agreement](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/). The other conditions include:

- A [Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Plan published within six months](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/), plus carbon offsets on top of those required under the Commonwealth Safeguard Mechanism.
- From four years after commencement, reasonable and feasible steps to [maximise the use of renewable energy for the development](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf).
- Further conditions to manage [biodiversity, water, noise and dust impacts](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/).

The Commission found that [98% of the Project's greenhouse gas emissions](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf) occur in overseas jurisdictions where the product coal is consumed.

## What Does the Closure Management Plan Mean for Workers?

The Commission imposed the plan [to address the requirements for the post-mining transition of its workforce and suppliers](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). The Commission found it was [not satisfied that the material before it demonstrates transition planning has been undertaken commensurate with the scale of the Project's operation](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). An earlier condition requiring the operator to work with the two councils to investigate ways to minimise the socio-economic effects of significant reductions in local employment and eventual mine closure was [removed from the HVO North consent as part of Modification 8](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). The applicant advised that the old condition had been folded into its rehabilitation framework, but it did not provide the Commission with the [results of any investigations](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf) under it.

The [new condition in the HVO North consent](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf) asks for more. The operator must submit a Closure Management Plan [within 12 months of the date of the commencement of development](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), unless another timeframe is agreed, prepared in consultation with the Muswellbrook Shire and Singleton councils and local affected communities. It must contain a [workforce transition strategy](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf) that describes:

- projected workforce reductions
- retraining and skills development opportunities
- pathways to alternate employment
- specific support measures for apprentices, trainees, contractors and employees approaching retirement

The plan has to be [reviewed and updated at least every three years](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf). The same consent also asks for a [local participation plan](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf) with measures to encourage local participation in the workforce, and a Construction Workforce Accommodation Strategy that proposes measures to prioritise the employment of local construction workers who live within a one hour commute of the site. For anyone who works at HVO, the transition strategy is the document that must describe [projected workforce reductions](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf).

## Why Did Climate Groups Oppose the Decision?

Climate groups called the approval a [generational failure](https://www.981powerfm.com.au/local-news/ipc-approves-hvo-coal-mine-continuation-with-strict-climate-conditions/). Georgina Woods, national coordinator of the [Lock the Gate Alliance](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996), said the ruling [will go down in history as an infamous betrayal of the public trust](https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/approval-biggest-coal-project-nsw-045516000.html), and Rising Tide spokesman Campbell Knox called it the [largest climate policy failure in NSW history](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/).

[Environmentalists argued](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996) the extension would put the state government's ability to reach its net-zero targets in jeopardy. The Commission itself recognised that [809 million tonnes of greenhouse gases](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/) from mining and overseas coal combustion would contribute to climate change impacts, and the state's [Net Zero Commission](https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/approval-biggest-coal-project-nsw-045516000.html) had warned that approval could affect the state's ability to meet its climate targets.

Some submissions also challenged the inclusion of worker and supplier benefits in the cost-benefit analysis, arguing that these benefits were uncertain [because workers and suppliers may have alternative opportunities elsewhere in the regional economy](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). Overall, the Commission found that the residual impacts of the Project are, on balance, [outweighed by its benefits to the Hunter region and NSW](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf).

## How Big Is HVO in the Hunter Jobs Picture?

The existing operations represent [almost 10% of direct employment in the local mining industry](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), in the planning department's assessment. Coal mining in the Hunter provided [approximately 14,437 direct jobs as of December 2025](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), on the state's Coal Policy figures.

At the July hearings HVO put its reach at [more than 800 suppliers and more than $1 billion a year injected into the economy](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996). Net benefits are estimated at [$1,160 million NPV for NSW workers and $1,780 million NPV for NSW suppliers](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf) in the applicant's cost benefit analysis.

The mine is a joint venture, and [Yancoal Australia Limited](https://www.yancoal.com.au/our-sites/hunter-valley-operations/) holds a 51% stake and owns it jointly with [Glencore Coal Australia](https://www.yancoal.com.au/our-sites/hunter-valley-operations/), while the site has been [operating since 1949](https://www.yancoal.com.au/our-sites/hunter-valley-operations/). The [Mining and Energy Union](https://meu.org.au/hvo-approval-backs-hunter-jobs-and-communities/) said the approval gives [more than 1,500 workers and their families greater certainty](https://meu.org.au/hvo-approval-backs-hunter-jobs-and-communities/) about their future.

> After a long period of uncertainty, workers deserve clear information from HVO about the approval and what happens next, district president Robin Williams said, according to [the Mining and Energy Union statement](https://meu.org.au/hvo-approval-backs-hunter-jobs-and-communities/).

## What Does HVO Offer People Who Want to Work There?

HVO [employs approximately 1,500 people](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/) at its operation near Singleton, and at the time of writing its careers page links to current job opportunities and a register-your-interest form. HVO's [listed package](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/) includes:

- salary sacrificing options and relocation assistance
- long service leave of [13 weeks for every 8 years of employment in the coal mining industry](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/)
- paid parental leave and a subsidised health insurance benefit
- an education assistance program and personal development plans
- a lifestyle roster and flexible arrangements

The mine is at [Liddell, about a 25 minute commute from Muswellbrook and Singleton](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/) and an hour and 45 minutes from Newcastle. For people who register their interest, the HR team will be in touch [when an appropriate role becomes available](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/). Electrical work is one trade that travels beyond coal, and the route in is set out in [how to launch an electrician career](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/how-to-launch-an-electrician-career).

## What This Means for Job Seekers, and What Should You Do Next?

The approval is about an existing workforce rather than a wave of new roles, since the Commission records [no change to operational workforce](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf). HVO [still needs to secure a critical federal government environmental approval by the end of December 2026](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996), the company said, and the state consent allows mining at HVO North [until 31 December 2045](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf).

The closure plan deserves as much attention as the end date. Because it was [not satisfied that the material before it demonstrated transition planning had been undertaken in line with the scale of the Project](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), the Commission required a [Closure Management Plan, including a workforce transition strategy](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), reviewed at least every three years. That document must cover [retraining and skills development opportunities](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), pathways to other jobs and support for apprentices and people near retirement, and workers have a real stake in what it contains. Skills such as electrical and mechanical trades are used outside coal, and skilled trades are the jobs [Google, Ford and BlackRock are betting on](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/google-ford-and-blackrock-bet-big-on-skilled-trades-jobs).

Here is what we would do:

- **Watch the federal decision.** HVO [needs federal approval by the end of December 2026](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996) to continue operations, so the state consent alone does not secure its future.
- **Follow the plan.** The Closure Management Plan is due [within 12 months of the date of the commencement of development](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf) and must be prepared in consultation with the councils, the Community Consultative Committee, local affected communities and other interested stakeholders.
- **Build portable tickets now.** HVO lists an [education assistance program](https://www.hvo.com.au/careers/) among its staff benefits, and qualifications recognised outside coal keep more doors open.
- **Suppliers, plan in cycles.** The plan's three-yearly review cycle is set in the [consent](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf).
- **Keep one eye on the market.** Even with a long approval, knowing what your skills fetch elsewhere is cheap insurance.

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## People Also Asked

### Q: How long can Hunter Valley Operations keep mining?

A: The NSW consent allows mining at HVO North [until 31 December 2045](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Development%20consent%20HVO%20North%20%28SSD%2011826681%29.pdf), and the approved project runs HVO South to the [end of 2042](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), subject to the [federal approval that is still pending](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996).

### Q: Does the approval create new jobs at HVO?

A: Not permanent ones, since the Commission records [no change to operational workforce](https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/Statement%20of%20Reasons%20for%20Decision%20HVO%20Continued%20Operations%20Project%20%28SSD%2011826681%20%26%20SSD%2011826621%29.pdf.pdf), while the project includes up to 600 temporary construction roles for infrastructure and water works.

### Q: Is the HVO extension now certain?

A: No. HVO still needs a [federal environmental approval by the end of December 2026](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/hunter-valley-operations-coal-mine-ipc-decision/107022996), and a [legal challenge to the state approval](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9360044/the-ipc-has-approved-the-hunter-valley-operations-mine-extension-to-2045/) is possible.

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