The fact that they are intending to truck then barge the coal to...

The fact that they are intending to truck then barge the coal to a suitable port shows that the margins are not thin at all, in fact they are massive. A cheaply extracted raw product cheaply upgraded to a high value product.

Ian Kraemer commented to The Age:

"Mantle is confident it has access to the technology that can dewater brown coal and reduce it back to the emissions profiles typically seen in black coal and natural gas.

Under this plan, Mr Kraemer reckons the abundant, cheap and accessible supplies of coal underneath Victoria will become very fashionable.

''Mantle has taken the opportunity to get ahead of the game because we think the upside is in brown coal because it's the one that can be transformed,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/mantle-still-keen-on-brown-coal-20110710-1h8w1.html#ixzz1sLngwXjk