Burton mine is located in the Bowen Basin, about 150 kilometres south-west of Mackay. Mining commenced in 1996 and now extends over three individual operating pits: Plumtree, Wallanbah and Broadmeadows. The open-cut mine uses the terrace mining technique supported by a truck and shovel fleet. It is operated under contract by Thiess.

Coal is railed 169 kilometres to the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, where it is exported predominantly to major steel mills in Asia, Europe and South America.

Burton coal has very good coking and chemical properties, including some of the lowest sulphur and ash specifications for Australian coking coal.

Extending 15 kilometres from north to south, the combined leases cover 10,412 hectares with recoverable open-cut reserves of 36 million tonnes (40 million tons).

Peabody acquired 95 percent of Burton in April 2004. Thiess holds the remaining five percent.