March 18, 2019 - Australian miner Wollongong Coal has been forced by regulators to cease mining at its Wongawilli Colliery after an inspection uncovered safety problems, the company said in an announcement on the Australian Stock Exchange Monday.

Inspectors from the Natural Resources and Mining Regulators found areas of concerns including strata roof supports and risk associated with the conveyor systems, and subsequently issued a prohibition notice to cease all mining activities pending completion of a risk assessment and until adequate control measures are put in place and accepted, it said.

The risk review may take a few weeks, it added.

Wongawilli is Wollongong Coal's one operating mine. It produced 86,648 mt of coal in the October-December 2018 quarter, which was down 24% from the 114,334 mt output in July-September, the company said in its latest quarterly report.

Wongawilli is about 15 kilometers south-west of Wollongong and 80 kilometers south-west of Sydney. It exports coal via the Port Kembla Coal Terminal.