Taroborah coal project
Project summary
Shenhuo International Group Pty Ltd proposes to develop an open-cut and underground coal mine located 22 kilometres (km) west of Emerald within the Central Highlands Regional Council local government area of the Bowen Basin. The proposed project lies within Mineral Development Licence (MDL) 467 covering approximately 7,966 hectares (ha). Total projected land disturbance is currently estimated to be 2568ha. The project would mine approximately 11.5 million tonnes (Mt) and 64.3Mt of thermal coal in the target A and B seams, from the open-cut and underground mines respectively.
Open-cut mining would be carried out using conventional hydraulic excavators and a fleet of dump trucks to remove overburden and extract the coal resource in the southern portion of the proposed mining area. Underground mining would be carried out by longwall extraction techniques in the northern portion of the proposed mining area. ROM coal would be transported by truck to an on-site coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) for processing. Product coal would be transported from the project site via the Central West and Blackwater rail systems to the Port of Gladstone for export. The coal transport option would require the construction of a new on-site train load-out facility and rail loop to connect the mine to the Central West rail system, as well as an upgrade of the Central West railway line.
The dewatered coarse and fine rejects from the CHPP would be disposed of on-site in out-of-pit and in-pit spoil dumps.
Site access would be via the Capricorn Highway, which passes through the middle of MDL467 in an east–west direction.
The construction and operation phases of the project would employ up to 150 and 375 full-time staff respectively. All staff would live in Emerald or the surrounding townships in either permanent or temporary accommodation.
On 12 December 2011, the proponent applied under sections 70 and 71 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) for approval to voluntarily prepare an EIS. Under section 72 of the EP Act the department approved the application.
On 20 February 2012, the Commonwealth Department of the Environment (DOTE) determined the proposed project to be a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities), 20 and 20A (listed migratory species) and 24D and 24E (water resources). The potential impacts of the project on the controlling provisions have been assessed under the bilateral agreement using the EIS prepared under the EP Act.
The process for assessment of the EIS for the 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 was issued to the proponent on 3 March 2015 by the department in accordance with section 60 of the EP Act. The EIS process under Chapter 3 of the EP Act is now complete. A copy of the assessment report has been provided to DOTE for consideration in making a decision under the EPBC Act.
Further information
Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:
- EIS assessment report
- EIS assessment report—Appendix 1
- EIS assessment report—Appendix 2
- Environmental Impact Statement
- Final terms of reference
For further information about the EIS process for the Taroborah Coal Project, please contact the EIS coordinator.