Ellensfield Coal Mine Project
An EIS has been prepared for the Ellensfield Coal Mine Project (ECMP) by Ellensfield Coal Management Pty Ltd which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vale Australia Pty Ltd. The ECMP involves the development of a greenfield underground coal mine producing up to 5.5 million tonnes a year of coking coal and thermal coal for export. The project site (Mining Lease Application 70393) is within the northern region of the Bowen Basin, approximately 175km west of Mackay. The ECMP is located on the northern side of the Peak Downs Highway, approximately midway between the towns of Coppabella and Moranbah in Central Queensland. The proposed ECMP would use an initial box cut to provide the entrance to an underground mine. Longwall methods would be used to extract the coal from the Leichhardt Seam of the Rangal Coal Measures. A coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) and associated truck load-out facility would be constructed on site with the capacity to process up to 5.5 million tonnes a year of thermal and coking coal product and reject waste.
Two separate waste areas are proposed to manage overburden, coarse rejects and dewatered fine rejects. Product coal would be transported to port via rail for export. Prior to the proposed CHPP being fully operational in 2012, all raw coal would be crushed, sized and washed using the existing Carborough Downs Coal Mine CHPP, and coal product transported via rail to the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) for export. After 2012, product coal would be either transported to DBCT or to Abbot Point Coal Terminal via the yet to be completed Goonyella Abbot Point rail line. The ECMP would construct an 8MW to 20MW power plant and site electricity network. The mine is expected to operate for approximately 20 years .
The project is a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The State’s EIS process has been accredited for the assessment under Part 8 of the EPBC Act in accordance with the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland (2004). The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (Listed threatened species and communities).
The submission period for the Environmental Impact Statement for the Ellensfield Coal Mine project started on 6 July 2009. Any interested persons are invited to view the document and provide a submission on the adequacy of the EIS in identifying, describing and mitigating any environmental impacts. The EIS is available for viewing at the locations described on the Public Notice (s.51 & s.52 EP Act). It is also available at the following website: http://www.ap.urscorp.com/Projects/EllensfieldEIS or can be purchased by contacting URS Australia Pty Ltd on 1800 041 253, Email: ellensfieldeis@urscorp.com; or write to: Ellensfield EIS, GPO Box 302, BRISBANE, QLD, 4001.
Submissions should be received by Monday 17 August 2009 and should be addressed to:
The Chief Executive
Department of Environment and Resource Management
Attn: EIS Coordinator, Ellensfield Coal Mine Project
PO Box 15155
CITY EAST QLD 4002
The process for the assessment of the Ellensfileld Coal Mine Project is as follows:
Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:
- Final terms of reference
- Initial advice statement describing the project
- Public notice (s46 EP Act)
- Public notice (s.51 & s.52 EP Act)
For further information about the EIS process for the Ellensfield Coal Mine Project please contact the EIS Co-ordinator on telephone
1300 130 372. Additional information about the project is also available by contacting URS Australia on (07) 3243 2111.
Last updated: 23 April 2008