THE competition watchdog has given final approval to the long-awaited Newcastle port solution for Hunter Valley’s coal miners, paving the way for expansion. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission said yesterday it had signed off on the port-based capacity framework arrangements, which form part of the long-term solution to constraints...

The Hunter Valley’s mining boom is continuing, with resource giant Coal and Allied proposing a $500 million extension at a mine near Singleton. The plan targets coal deposits at the company’s Warkworth mine that were previously thought to be uneconomical. That has since changed because of increased prices driven by...

Exploration work has been stepped up for the controversial Doyles Creek coal mine, with test drilling now underway near Jerrys Plains in the Hunter Valley. Approval of the exploration licence by former mineral resources minister Ian Macdonald sparked alarm in the local community because there was no public consultation. Doyles...

AS China emerges as one of the Hunter’s largest wine export markets, wine industry representatives caution wineries to be careful which end of the market they target. The New South Wales Government has announced that it is going to support the State’s wine industry to expand the market of southern...

Some of the country’s biggest thoroughbred studs are leading a protest against a coal mining company which wants to operate in the NSW breeding heartland. Some of the country’s biggest thoroughbred studs are leading a protest against a coal mining company which wants to operate in the breeding heartland of...

MINING giant Anglo American has snapped up a 20 per cent stake in Melbourne-based MBD Energy, which hopes within five years to be developing multi-billion-dollar algae farms to capture and sequester emissions from coal-fired power stations. The emergence of Anglo American as a cornerstone investor in MBD Energy is the...

A SYDNEY-based mining company is confident it will strike rich bauxite reserves in the Pittsworth region. Volcan Australia chairperson Pnina Feldman said yesterday that the company would seek to set up a local alumina refinery if sufficient deposits were found. Mineral exploration permits are being sought over land stretching from...

There’s little relief in sight for the country’s housing affordability with an industry lobby group cutting its forecast growth in new dwellings as investment funds slump. The Housing Industry Association said that after a ”disappointing” 130,000 new dwellings were started in 2008-09, an 18 per cent drop from the previous...

THE managing director of a company behind a $50 million housing development at Gracemere said yesterday it was vital that the town’s proposed shopping complex was developed as quickly as possible. Norman Emanouel’s Brisbane-based Oakshield Development has plans for 170 homes in Gracemere’s latest estate – Chatterton Park. He says...

A $20 million package designed to improve rail in the Hunter Valley will be rolled out this week. The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) says the investment is one of the largest upgrades to the network since it took over management of the rail corridor. About 70 projects will be...