The pink livery of the McGrath Foundation for breast cancer will be seen underground at the coal face after Helensburgh miner Peabody added a splash of colour to its new longwall mining machine and high-vis workwear.
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One of the longwall's shearer drums will be bright pink for the McGrath Foundation, the other royal blue for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, as mine operator Meropolitan Collieries shows off its fundraising efforts for the leading cancer bodies.
McGrath Foundation branding will also be embroidered on the miners' shirts, which are being made in bright pink and blue to represent each cancer foundation.
Metropolitan owner Peabody Energy said the colours would act as a reminder to its workforce of the importance of getting checked for cancer signs earlier rather than later.
Metropolitan mine general manager James Hannigan said the drums, which cut the coal underground, would be a visual reminder for the hundreds of workers who work underground every week.
"Sadly, we all know someone who has been affected by breast or prostate cancer, whether they are friends or family."
"This initiative will act as a conversation starter to encourage our team members to prioritise routine health check-ups."
A new longwall miner is a multimillion-dollar investment and Peabody taking delivery of the new Joy Komatsu machine is a sign of confidence in the future of its Helensburgh mine.
Peabody is currently seeking to add a new longwall panel and reconfigure another, a move which it said would allow extraction of an extra 2.8 million tonnes of coal and extend the operation's life for another two years.
The move is opposed by environmentalists who say subsidence from longwall mining cracks creek beds in the drinking water catchment.
Mr Hannigan said the shearer had the potential to produce up to 2,500 tonnes of coal per hour.
Peabody said last year it raised $120,000 for both foundations, with the Metropolitan workforce the highest contributor across the US-owned miner's Australian operations.
A spokeswoman for the McGrath Foundation said it was grateful for the support from the miner, which was registered as a community fundraiser.
"Unfortunately, every year in Australia more than 20,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer," she said.
"Peabody's Metropolitan Mine has come up with a creative, visual way to spark conversations amongst their employees and the wider community about the importance of being breast aware. This is important as we know that early detection of breast cancer can save lives.
The initiative came from Peabody which has been raising funds for the groups for several years.
"They, like many others in the community, registered as a community fundraiser to raise funds on our behalf, and we are grateful for this support which will help us fund McGrath breast care nurses," the McGrath Foundation spokeswoman said.
The US-owned miner has generated controversy over the past two years, in particular over a series of spills into a creek which flows into the Royal National Park and the impacts of continued mining under sensitive Woronora water catchment land.
Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
