The environmental assessment for the Aston Resources open cut mine will be on public exhibition until October 11, and the public are invited to lodge submissions on the project until this date.

The mine will be established within the Leard State Forest and operate for 21 years, during which time it is expected to produce an average of 10.8 million tonnes of coal per year.

“Effectively it’s one of the most significant coal projects in NSW, and arguably in Australia,” Aston Resources chief executive Todd Hannigan said of Maules Creek, which is the fourth largest metallurgical coal deposit in Australia and the seventh largest overall.

The mine will mainly produce metallurgical coal, used to make steel, for export to South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and possibly China.

Due to the nature of metallurgical coal, Mr Hannigan said the mine would have relatively low carbon emissions – about half those of mines in the Hunter Valley.

According to Mr Hannigan two houses would experience significant impacts on air quality and noise, but both have since been acquired by Aston Resources.

Two independent parties found there would be no predicted impact on irrigation bores.

Seven privately-owned bores will experience some impact, in which case the company will substitute the supply of water.

“Even assuming the worst case scenario, the conclusion was that there were no significant impacts on the water levels within the Namoi River alluvial system,” Mr Hannigan said.

He said 470 people were expected to be employed full-time by the mine and a further 4000 direct and indirect jobs would be created statewide.

Over the 21 years the mine would benefit Australia $8.6 billion, while royalty payments to the state government would top $2.8 billion.

The mine will include a coal handling and preparation plant, tailings drying areas, a mine access road, administration and workshop facilities, a power transmission line and related infrastructure, a water pipeline, pumping station and infrastructure for access to water from the Namoi River, as well as a rail spur, rail loop, load-out facility and connection to the Werris Creek to Mungindi railway line.