QLD Govt grants environmental approval to Winchester South coal project

Whitehaven Coal has secured environmental approval from the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation for its proposed $1 billion Winchester South coal project. 

The approval of the project’s environmental authority (EA) application from the Queensland Government follows the Coordinator-General's recommendation to proceed in November last year. 

A statement from Whitehaven Coal said: “This is another important milestone for Whitehaven, for the people of Queensland and for our trading partners who rely on Australia’s high-quality metallurgical coal, which is essential for steel production.” 

The Winchester South coal project is still subject to Federal Government approval before Whitehaven Coal can proceed with its development. 

The proposed $1 billion project is located about 30 kilometres south-east of Moranbah and it includes: 

• Development of an open cut coal mine which would product up to 17 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal and 11 Mtpa of product coal for up to 28 years 
• Construction of an access road from the Eagle Downs Mines Access Road, off the Peak Downs Mine Road to the mine infrastructure area 
• Construction of an 8-kilometre rail spur and loop connecting to the Norwich Park Branch Railway 
• Train load-out facility, including product coal stockpiles for rail transport 
• Construction of a 132 kilovolts (kV) electricity transmission line from Powerlink’s existing Eagle Downs substation to the project and an onsite 132kV/22kV electricity switching/substation 
• Installation of approximately 13 kilometres raw water supply pipeline connecting the project to the existing Eungella pipeline network 
• Connection to the existing high speed telecommunications network 
• Construction of a mine infrastructure area including offices, onsite coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) and workshops 
• Construction of ancillary infrastructure including explosives storage facilities, consumable storage areas, potable water supply, sewage treatment facilities, site communications, remote crib huts and security 

The coal operations will primarily produce metallurgical coal products for steelmaking and a secondary thermal coal product for energy generation. 

The Winchester South coal project is expected to create up to 500 jobs during its construction and operations. 

Source: Whitehaven Coal (1, 2); Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation; Queensland Government – State Development and Infrastructure (1, 2); ABC News; Australian Mining