THE QUEENSLAND Coordinator-General Colin Jensen has approved the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the new Duania coal mine near Moranbah, in the Bowen Basin.
BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) Coal Operations plans to produce 4 million tonnes per annum of high-quality coking coal at the Daunia mine over 21 years.
Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe welcomed the release of Jensen’s evaluation report, which concludes the mine’s environmental impacts can be managed with conditions.Hinchliffe says the project is expected to create about 450 construction jobs, while the operational workforce is expected to peak at about 300 employees.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2010 and operations are expected to start in 2011 with initial capital expenditure expected to be around $625 million.
The Daunia project will share some services with the adjacent BHP Mitsui Poitrel Mine, including site offices, workshops, storage areas, communications and car parking.
Hinchliffe says the Daunia project was the first component of the Bowen Basin Coal Growth (BBCG) project. The other two mine components are Caval Ridge Mine, a new open-cut mine and associated infrastructure to produce up to 5.5 Mtpa of coal; and Goonyella-Riverside Mine, an expansion of the existing open-cut and underground mining operations to produce up to 9.5 Mtpa of coal.
Hinchliffe says the fourth component is the planned construction of a new airport to replace the existing Moranbah airport facility, to accommodate increased travel to and from the area and to provide a wider range of transport options for the larger workforce associated with the BBCG project’s expanded operations.
For more information on the project and to read the Coordinator-General’s report in full, please visit www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects.
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