Minyango Project

Project summary
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Queensland)
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth)
Final Terms of Reference (TOR)
Further information

Project summary

The proponent for the Minyango Project is Blackwater Coal Pty Ltd. The greenfield project would involve the development of a multi-seam, underground coal mine and associated infrastructure. The mine would extract up to approximately nine million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of run-of-mine coal, which would be processed to produce approximately 7.5 Mtpa of product coal for export.

The project site, as detailed on the mining lease application (MLA) 80173, is located south of Blackwater in Central Queensland. The project would utilise the longwall mining method for each of the two target seams and would have a mine life of up to approximately 40 years.

The raw coal from the underground mine would be subject to crushing, screening and washing processes in the coal handling and preparation plant. Coarse and fine rejects would be deposited in a wet co-disposal area. Product coal would be loaded onto trains at a new on-site train load-out facility and transported via South Blackwater Mine Railway and the Central Railway to the Wiggins Island Export Coal Terminal. If investigations find that mining results in unmanageable subsidence impacts on the South Blackwater Mine Railway and/or the Blackwater Rolleston Road, such infrastructure may be relocated.

The project’s surface infrastructure is located in the north of the MLA and includes an administration building, bath house, workshop, warehouse and vehicle servicing facilities, access drift portals and various sediment, raw and mine water dams.

Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Queensland)

On 20 December 2010, an application was made by the proponent under section 71 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) for a voluntary environmental impact statement (EIS). Under section 72 of the EP Act the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) determined that assessment of the Minyango Project would be by voluntary environmental impact statement (EIS).

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth)

On 15 February 2011, the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities determined that the proposed project is not a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The project will therefore not require assessment under that legislation.

Final Terms of Reference (TOR)

The process for the assessment of this project is as follows:

The final terms of reference for the EIS were issued to the proponent on 30 September 2011. The proponent has until 30 September 2013 to prepare the draft EIS and submit it to DERM for assessment. The EIS will be available for public review and DERM’s chief executive will invite written submissions from the public in relation to the draft EIS in due course.