A mining project one step closer to construction in Central Queensland’s Isaac region.
The State Department of Environment, Science and Innovation recently granted an environmental authority for the new Winchester South Coal Mine, 31km southeast of Moranbah.
Whitehaven Coal only needs final approval from Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek before it can start constructing an open-cut metallurgical coal operation, capable of producing up to 11 million tonnes of product coal per annum to support steel-making for up to 28 years.
The following infrastructure will be required:
- access road from the Eagle Downs Mines Access Road to a mine industrial area (MIA)
- 132kV electrical transmission line to Powerlink’s existing Eagle Downs substation
- 13km raw water supply pipeline to the existing Eungella pipeline network
- train load-out facility including product coal stockpiles
- 8km rail spur and loop to the Norwich Park Branch Railway
- onsite 132kV / 22kV electricity switching substation
- high-speed telecommunications network connections
- onsite Coal Handling and Preparation Plant
- explosives storage facilities
- sewage treatment facilities
- consumable storage areas
- potable water supply
- site communications
- remote crib huts
- MIA offices
- workshops.
AMR can reveal the works are worth a combined $1 billion. Up to 500 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs will be created throughout the three-year construction phase plus a further 500 FTE positions during the 28-year operational phase.
Job vacancies will be advertised here.
“There are significant local, regional and state benefits to be derived from the project, and … environmental effects can be adequately avoided, minimised, mitigated or offset as required,” department coordinator-general Mike Kaiser previously said in the final evaluation report.
“Accordingly, I approve the project subject to the stated conditions.”
The proponent revealed the project aligns with its combined US$4.1 billion (A$6.4B) acquisitions of BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s Blackwater (226km west of Rockhampton) and Daunia (170km southwest of Mackay) coal mines.
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