Blair Athol is the first coal processing plant (CPP) in Australia that is wholly built, owned and operated by Sedgman. Initially awarded the contract in 1998, Sedgman undertook design to commissioning, then operation of a 250 t/h CPP to process stockpiled ROM coal. By 2003, subsequent upgrades had increased capacity to 350 t/h. While the mining crushing and direct sale of an attractive low pollutant thermal coal had occurred at Blair Athol since 1984, considerable quantities of contaminated coal had been stockpiled as a result of mining operations over many years.

The introduction of Sedgman's plant enabled the production from stockpiled coal of an 8.7% ash washed product suitable for the export and domestic thermal coal market. Sedgman is currently on its second five-year operation contract, and plant operation has increased to seven days per week.

To successfully process stockpiled coal that previously would not meet the export thermal coal quality specification, the plant features three-stage raw coal crushing, a dense medium cyclone and spirals circuit with a rejects co-disposal system and product stockpiling conveyor.

Client benefits include a small relocatable plant design and the introduction of washing technology which has increased saleable coal.