By Lisa Cox, The Guardian, 23 Aug 2022
The Australian mining company South32 has abandoned plans to expand its Dendrobium metallurgical coalmine in the New South Wales Illawarra region.
In an announcement to the ASX, the mining company said the expected financial returns were not enough to justify the $1bn investment the extension would require.
“Our decision today follows an extensive analysis of the alternatives for Dendrobium together with the anticipated returns from the upfront capital investment which would be required,” its chief executive, Graham Kerr, said.
The IPC found the project could cause irreversible damage to the Sydney and Illawarra drinking water catchments.
