Dartbrook Operations Pty Ltd, Dartbrook Services Pty Ltd, Dartbrook Commercial Pty Ltd and Dartbrook Assets Pty Ltd - Voluntary Administration

Dartbrook Operations Pty Ltd, Dartbrook Services Pty Ltd, Dartbrook Commercial Pty Ltd and Dartbrook Assets Pty Ltd, companies which operate the Dartbrook Mine — a coal mine in NSW owned by a joint venture between ASX-listed Australian Pacific Coal (ASX:AQC) and Tetra Resources — entered voluntary administration on 3 July, with Richard Hughes and Timothy Heenan of Deloitte appointed as voluntary administrators.

The mine has a controversial past, with three people dying there over a 12 year period under its former owner.

According to Australian Pacific Coal’s half year results, taking into account its 80% working interest (70% economic interest) in the Dartbrook JV, its loss amounted to $47.7 million.

Last month, Australian Pacific Coal announced that it had failed to meet certain conditions to its senior lender, Singapore-based Vitol Asia Pte Ltd.

Vitol itself has appointed Benjamin Campbell and David McGrath of FTI Consulting as receivers in order to support the "long-term future" of the Dartbrook Mine.