The Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is seeking public comment on the project and has made available documentation from the Newlands Collinsville Abbot Point joint venture.
The project area lies 150 kilometres northwest of Mackay, 20km south of Colinsville and covers about 17,675 hectares within MLA 10336 and EPC 1914, although the latter 4175-hectare permit is yet to be granted.
Mining is still in company assessment phases but Xstrata said it would likely consist of a combination of open cut and underground operations.
“Optimisation of mine plans for these operations is ongoing in accordance with continuing exploration works,” the major miner said.
Open cut operations will primarily target the Moranbah coal measures and are expected to have a mine life of 22 years with 220 million tonnes of coal to be mined with heavy earthmoving equipment that could include draglines.
Coal would be exported through Abbot Point via the existing rail lines with output expected to include domestic and export thermal coal along with coking coals.
Longwall mining
A drift through the highwall from the open cut mining on the northern side of the Bowen River could provide access to establish longwall mining but shaft access south of the river is also under consideration.
Longwall mining would target the Goonyella Upper seam with Xstrata expecting 30 million tonnes to be mined in a mine life of six years from the southern underground area of the project.
This would amount to a 5 million tonne per annum operation for this short life span with depths of around 200-300m.
But the JV is viewing an additional area for longwall mining on the northern side of the river with Xstrata saying it could even be developed independently from the open pit if not in association with it.
“The feasibility and detailed assessment phase will determine the feasibility of underground operations in the northern half of the project area.”
The assessment of this longwall option will be included in the environmental impact statement expected to be submitted to Queensland’s Department of Environment and Resource Management in early 2010.
Xstrata also seeks to establish a “subsidence control zone” in the area beneath and adjacent to the Bowen River.
Subsidence, groundwater and geotechnical studies will also help underpin the aims to have no material subsidence or hydrological impact on the river.
Exploration is set to continue throughout 2010 and “beyond” for the Sarum coal project while infrastructure needs are assessed.
The proposed minesite is near a 132-kilovolt powerline with a new substation required. The favoured water option will be tapping into the existing pipeline that serves Xstrata’s Newlands mine from the Bowen River Weir.
Two potential areas are being considered for key infrastructure such as the rail loop and coal handling and processing plant.
The JV has applied for federal environmental assessment as the project is likely to impact ecological communities and threatened flora species protected under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The NCA JV is 55% Xstrata, 25% Itochu Coal Resources Australia, 10% ICRA NCA and 10% Sumisho Coal Australia.
