BACCHUS Marsh brown coal could be of a better quality than that of La Trobe Valley, preliminary results have revealed.
Mantle Mining, which is currently conducting a controversial 15 hole drilling program in the region, has released the results of its laboratory analysis of the first four holes.
However, Moorabool Environment Group president Kate Tubbs said history showed that Bacchus Marsh coal was not of a high quality.
Mantle Mining operations manager Callum Lamont said the company was pleased with preliminary results however the report was only “indicative”.
“The quality seems to suggest the coal is of a equal or higher grade than the Latrobe valley coal,” Mr Lamont said.
Mr Lamont said a better idea about the quality of the coal could only be achieved once all the 15 holes had been tested.
“We hope to finish (drilling) before the end of February ... and another three months ... to model the data.”
However, Ms Tubbs said the report was overly optimistic.
“The reports that they are putting forward are for their (Mantle Mining’s) shareholders so they have got to be optimistic,” Ms Tubbs said.
“I doubt that the coal is as wonderful as they have said it is going to be.”
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