"The slopes will exceed three per cent and that will disqualify...

"The slopes will exceed three per cent and that will disqualify it from being Strategic Cropping Land again, and the slopes will be highly irregular and working the land with big machines will no longer be possible."

Really? mining a seam over a large area will create slopes in excess of 3% on all land above the area mined? I have a doubt. Maybe on the edge.