It bought the mine from the Brazilian Vale group last year.

Blevins has worked in a number of senior leadership roles throughout the underground coal industry, in both technical and operational capacities. 

During his various tenures, through driving accountability, visible leadership and adopting sound commercial and management principles, he has successfully turned mining operations from industry laggards into industry leaders in safety, production and cost, according to Fitzroy.

Blevin holds a mining engineering degree from the University of Queensland and post gradulate qualifications in ventilation from the University of New South Wales. 

Carborough Downs, which lies about 20km east of Moranbah and 180km southwest of Mackay  employs some 340 full-time employees and contractors.

Under its former owners it was dogged with geotechnical issues and is believed to be a high dust mine, posing a threat of black lung disease.

The Leichhardt seam that is being mined at Carborough Downs is relatively uniform and ranges from 4.5m to 5.7m thick.

The mine produces predominantly coking coal with PCI coal as a secondary product. 

Its coal is sold to international customers primarily for use in steel making.