The town's coal was mined from shafts dug into a Permian layer within the cliff face or escarpment of a large  x  free-standing conglomerate and sandstone massif (rising up to 400 metres above the township).
ðə tˈaʊnz kˈoʊl wʌz mˈaɪnd fɹʌm ʃˈæfts dˈʌɡ ˌɪntʊ ɐ pˈɜːmiən lˈeɪɚ wɪðˌɪn ðə klˈɪf fˈeɪs ɔːɹ ɪskˈɑːɹpmənt əvə lˈɑːɹdʒ ˈɛks fɹˈiːstˈændɪŋ kəŋɡlˈɑːmɚɹˌeɪt ænd sˈændstoʊn mˈæsɪf ɹˈaɪzɪŋ ˌʌp tə fˈoːɹhˈʌndɹɪd mˈiːɾɚz əbˌʌv ðə tˈaʊnʃɪp.