More than 100 mining jobs are in the balance after farmers won the latest round in a bitter legal battle over coal producer New Hope Group's expansion plans.
Despite the legal setback, New Hope urged Queensland's Labor government to immediately approve its $900 million Acland mine expansion as time runs out to save the its workforce.
Farming interests and others represented by the Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) scored a significant victory over New Hope on Friday when they were grant special leave to take their case to the High Court.
The High Court decision allows OCAA to challenge earlier ruling in favour of New Hope in the Queensland Court of Appeal.
The ruling is a major blow for New Hope in a saga over its $900 million Acland mine expansion that has already dragged on for 12 years.
Shane Stephan-led New Hope has said it exhaust the existing thermal coal reserves at the Acland mine by September, meaning the mine's 150 workers will lose their jobs by October if the expansion is not approved.
The Queensland government has refused to grant final state approvals until the legal process is complete.
In a statement to the ASX on Friday, New Hope said the OCAA had not challenged the Queensland Court of Appeal's findings on the substantive issues.
"OCAA are not challenging findings on groundwater or any other environmental issue that is relevant to any decision being made by government," it said.
"Accordingly, the company is asking the Queensland state government to immediately approve New Acland Stage 3."
No date has been set for the hearing of the High Court Appeal.
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