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Australia authorizes growth of three coal mines

Australia authorized the expansion of 3 thermal coal mines late on Tuesday amidst accusations from the mining market that the centreleft Labor federal government is making it more difficult to do business.

Whitehaven Coal won approval to extend underground mining at its Narrabri thermal coal mine while Indonesian-owned MACH Energy Australia will broaden its Mount Pleasant project, according to the Department of Environment Modification, Energy, the Environment and Water website.

Yancoal Australia subsidiary Ashton Coal likewise won approval for its Ravensworth mine complex.

All three jobs were approved with conditions.

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek last month obstructed miner Regis Resources from developing a tailings dam pointing out threats to Aboriginal heritage, stimulating fury from the mining community about difficult and approximate rules.

But Monday's decision triggered outrage from environment activists and anti-coal group, Lock the Gate Alliance, said the relocation exposed the federal government's reckless neglect for Australian wildlife and environment change.

We are stunned that a federal government that came to power guaranteeing to halt extinction and act on environment modification has sunk so low, representative Carmel Flint said in a statement.

(source: Reuters)