A preliminary hearing on Wednesday set the next court date for August 22.

The court has the power to approve or deny the Wandoan mining lease application, plus award compensation.

The green group will base its main arguments on the amount of carbon emissions the proposed mine will generate.

"This is an opportunity for some of the best scientists that we have to make their cases about the direct relationship between this coal mine and the impacts on the Great Barrier Reef and the impacts on extreme weather events,” a FOE spokesman told the ABC.

Other objections were raised to the court on the Wandoan project, which has received federal and state environmental approvals.

Xstrata Coal said these included issues relating to water management, state and federal approval processes and road access to landholder properties.

With a mine life of more than 30 years, Xstrata expects Wandoan’s carbon emissions to peak in the 24th year of operation, where they would represent about 0.08% of the country’s total.

The thermal coal project is also facing challenges under the state government’s proposed strategic cropping laws, with farmers against mining on prime agricultural land in the Darling Downs.

Lastly, the project remains subject to Xstrata board approval, with a decision not expected until the end of this year.

The proposed open cut operation is targeting 30 million tonnes per annum run-of-mine.

Xstrata has previously forecast first Wandoan exports to start as early as 2014.