Thiess assumed its role as Mine Contract Operator at Newlands Coal Mine in December 1997 and was responsible for open cut operations and coal processing at the site. In November 1999, Mt Isa Mines resumed the processing function of the mine coinciding with significant production increases from the Newlands underground mine.

The Newlands open cut mine is based on one central deposit which consists of five to 5.6 metres of thick upper Newlands seam. A considerable amount of innovation had to be demonstrated at the mine by Thiess and a new digging method introduced by the company assisted in minimising operating delays and increasing productivity.

This new method increased the rate at which coal was uncovered by improving efficiency in removing overburden and reducing operational delays. Known as the Jensen & Curtis digging technique, it increased production levels by reducing the cycle phase through shorter swing angles and improved fill times. Unlike the conventional method where a dragline cuts a key along the highwall and removes overburden, the Jensen & Curtis method relies on a dozer to cut the highwall, enabling the dragline to operate more efficiently and remove larger quantities of overburden from the highwall at a faster rate.

The effectiveness of the Jensen & Curtis method in improving productivity has been reinforced through Newlands' consistent production performance, since the digging method was introduced.

Thiess mined the main deposit at the site in strips of 55 to 65 metres wide, along a strike length of 8km with the adjacent Coal Preparation Plant producing a steaming coal product with a calorific value of 6800 cal/kg. The Plant consisted of two modules that treated some 1200 tonnes of raw coal per hour.