Earlier this year WCM held two open days in the Whitehaven and St Bees areas to outline the plan to drill four test boreholes to confirm the quality of the metallurgical/coking coal known to be in the area. This will be the first step in the development of new job opportunities for generations to come.
The precise location of the test sites is still being finalised in discussions with local land owners and consultation with statutory bodies such as the Cumbria County Council and the Environment Agency.
Once the sites are finalised the test boreholes will be drilled and core coal samples taken for laboratory analysis. On conclusion of each bore hole the site will be returned to its original condition. The time taken from the arrival of a drill on site to the conclusion of the drilling is expected to be no more than three weeks at most. It should be noted that the test boreholes are sited to ascertain the quality of the underground deposits they are not at the site of the eventual mine head which will be determined as part of a detailed planning consultation commencing in 2015.
When drilling operations start, a representative from WCM will be on-site to explain the process and answer any questions as necessary.
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