Moranbah South project
Project summary
The proponent for the Moranbah South Project—a 50:50 unincorporated joint venture between Anglo Coal (Grosvenor) Pty Ltd and Exxaro Australia Pty Ltd—propose developing an underground coal mine three kilometres south-east of the town of Moranbah in the Bowen Basin and approximately 150 kilometres south-west of Mackay. The proposed project is located within parts of Exploration Permits – Coal (EPC) 602 and 548 and Mineral Development Licences 277 (whole) and 377 (part). The project site is approximately 17,550 hectares in area.
Coking coal for export would be mined at a rate of up to 18 million tonnes per annum of run-of-mine (ROM) coal. The mine life is more than 30 years.
Coal would be mined using longwalls and bord and pillar mining methods. ROM coal would be transported by conveyor to an on-site coal preparation plant (CPP) for processing. Product coal would be transported from the project site by rail to Abbot Point for export. Coal transport would require the construction of a new on-site rail-loading facility and rail loop.
Coarse and fine rejects material from the CPP would be deposited on-site in a purpose built dry rejects emplacement area. Site access would be via the Moranbah Access Road.
The current land use is predominantly low intensity cattle grazing with some cropping. A subsidence assessment has been completed as part of the EIS and the maximum predicted depth of vertical subsidence is 3.2 metres.
The proposed peak construction and operation workforce requirements approximate 878 and 1314 persons respectively. Accommodation options include quarters on-site and in Moranbah.
The department approved an application (under section 72 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act)) by the joint venture to voluntarily prepare an EIS for the project on 27 March 2012.
On 24 May 2012, the project was declared a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), including that it be assessed by the EP Act EIS process under the bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland relating to environmental impact assessment. The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities) and sections 24D and 24E (impacts of coal seam gas development and large coal mining development on water resources).
The Moranbah South Project was assessed using the environmental impact statement (EIS) process under Chapter 3 of the EP Act.
The process used for the assessment of this project was as follows:
- Submission of draft TOR
- Public notification of draft TOR
- Final TOR issued—EIS in preparation
- Public notification of EIS
- Proponent responds to submissions
- EIS assessment report
The EIS assessment report has been issued to the joint venture and the EIS process is now complete.
Further information
Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:
For further information about the EIS process for the Moranbah South Project, contact the EIS Co-ordinator or email eis@des.qld.gov.au.