The Queensland Government has launched an environmental impact study of the proposed $1.5 billion Byerwen coal mine in the Central Highlands.

 

The proposed Byerwen Coal project involves developing both an open-cut and underground mine in the North Bowen Basin, supported by water supply via a new pipeline from the Burdekin River, a power supply upgrade, and rail facilities leading to a coal export terminal at Abbot Point.

 

The project proponent is Byerwen Coal Pty Ltd (BC), a joint venture between QCoal Pty Ltd (QCoal), which is a Brisbane-based, Queensland-owned and operated coal exploration and mining company, and JFE Steel (JFE), which is a subsidiary of the JFE Group of Japan.

 

The mine is intended for the extraction of high quality, hard, metallurgical, coking coal for the export market, primarily to Japan and other Asian countries, with some thermal coal by-product.

 

Subject to obtaining all necessary approvals, mining is expected to commence in 2013, with output progressively increasing over three years to a full production rate of approximately 10 million tonnes per annum of product coal for export.

 

Draft terms of reference for an Environmental Impact Statement for the project have been released for public consultation. More information is at

http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects/mining-and-mineral-processing/coal/byerwen-coal.html