Hunter Valley village at risk as Rio Tinto scopes out Warkworth coalmine expansion

By Peter Hannam
Updated April 19 2015 - 10:13pm, first published 9:18pm
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton
Alan Jones joins protesters against the Rio Tinto mine. Photo: Ben Rushton

Residents of Bulga in the upper Hunter Valley already threatened by the expansion of a nearby Rio Tinto coalmine may have even more to fear with the mining giant hiring consultants to survey an expansion of the open-cut pit to within about 500 metres of the town.