Japan remains major market for Hunter coal exports

Japan is currently New South Wales' largest market for coal, having received about 71 million tonnes of exports in 2025-26, which represents almost half of all thermal and metallurgical coal exports for the region. The Bloomfield Group, a long-term supplier to Japan since 1955, plans to extend the life of its Rix's Creek North open-cut mine near Singleton. This extension would run until 2049, extracting an additional 62 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal.

The mine continuation is projected to generate net production benefits for NSW ranging from $419 million to $483 million, alongside net social benefits of $419 million to $482 million over 14 years. Furthermore, the project would retain 325 full-time workers.