The federal government in Australia has granted a conditional approval to Whitehaven Coal for its Maules Creek project.

Environment Minister Tony Burke has set certain conditions for the protection of environment in the approval granted for the project. Mr. Burke said has said in a statement that he is satisfied that the Maules Creek and Boggabri coal mine projects can be implemented without significant damage to the environment.

Whitehaven has indicated in the previous week that it expects the government to delay the decision until April. Mr. Burke pointed out that the project approval was brought forward after sensitive information was provided by the New South Wales state government. The minister has also approved AGL Energy's Gloucester coal seam methane project.

"In each of these three additional approvals there is more work to be concluded before the project can actually proceed," Mr Bourke said.

Environmental and farming groups in the country have been opposing the Maules Creek and Boggabri projects as they are located in an agricultural region and in a state forest. The approval comes after much delay and the company will not focus on the coming steps in the project.