Carborough Downs mine expansion project

The Carborough Downs Joint Venture (CDJV) proposes to expand the existing Carborough Downs Mine. The proponent's application to voluntarily prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project was accepted by the department on 11 July 2006. The department is managing the EIS process as set out in Chapter 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

The Carborough Downs Mine is an existing underground coal mine located in Central Queensland approximately 15 km east of the township of Moranbah along the Peak Downs Highway and 150 km south west of Mackay.

The existing mine has an approved production rate of 1.9 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) run of mine (ROM) coal. CDJV propose to increase the rate of mining to approximately 5 Mtpa ROM and extend the current mining leases ML70340 to the north-east and ML70339 to the south. The proposed expansion areas are located within an existing mineral development lease, MDL354.

Mining at Carborough Downs is currently undertaken using the "cut and flit" method, in which pillars of coal are retained between the roadways. The planned increase in production would be achieved either through a continuation of the existing method using additional continuous miners or, subject to further evaluation, through the introduction of the longwall mining method.

On the surface, the coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) would be duplicated adjacent to the existing facility, and the number of product stockpiles would increase from four to six. The necessity or otherwise of increasing the footprint of the currently approved co-disposal area for coarse and fine waste from the CHPP will be addressed during the EIS.

The EIS Assessment Report for the Carborough Downs Mine Expansion Project has been issued to the proponent and the EIS process is now completed.

Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:

• Final terms of reference (see availability)
• Carborough Downs EIS Assessment Report (see availability)

For further information about the EIS process for the Carborough Downs Mine Expansion Project contact the EIS Co-ordinator on telephone (07) 3227 7983.

Available from the library catalogue

The documents referred to on this page are available from the department’s online library catalogue.