New Hope is waiting on the Queensland state government to approve mining lease applications for its New Acland Stage 3 project in Queensland, following a legal victory over an activist group that sought to halt the expansion.

Pending approvals, the company expects to ramp New Acland output back up to about 5 million tonnes of coal per annum (mtpa) and then assess the timing for a further increase up to 7.5 mtpa.

New Hope said after the ruling on Nov. 1 that "there is no further barrier to the Queensland Government now giving final approvals" for the project.

The reserve areas of its Stage 2 operations are expected to be exhausted in the first-half of calendar 2021.

New Hope on Tuesday also reported a 66% jump in first quarter saleable coal production to 3.3 million tonnes, as output ramped up at its Bengalla mine.

(Reporting by Niyati Shetty in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Pullin)