Minyango project
Blackwater Coal Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of GRAM Caledon Resources Limited) proposes to develop a multi-seam, underground coal mine located immediately south of Blackwater, approximately 170km west of Rockhampton. The proponent has granted exploration permits for coal (EPC 699 and 997) over the project area and has applied for mining lease (MLA) 424. Coking and thermal coal would be extracted using both longwall and bord and pillar mining methods to extract coal from two target seams at a rate of up to 9 million tonnes per annum (run-of-mine coal) to produce up to 7 Mtpa of product coal for export. The project would also include a coal handling and preparation plant, a train loading facility and associated water and mine infrastructure. 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.
Under s. 72 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 the department accepted an application by Blackwater Coal Pty Ltd made on 20 December 2010 to undertake assessment of the project by voluntary environmental impact statement (EIS).
On 15 February 2011, the former Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (now the Department of the Environment) determined that the proposed project is not a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The project does not require assessment under that legislation.
The process for the assessment of this project was as follows:
- Submission of draft TOR
- Public notification of draft TOR
- Final TOR issued—EIS in preparation
- Public notification of EIS
- Proponent responds to submissions
- EIS assessment report
The EIS Assessment Report was issued to Blackwater Coal on 24 March 2014 in accordance with Section 60 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994. The EIS process under Chapter 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 is now completed.
Copies of currently available public documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:
For further information about the EIS process for the Minyango Project, please contact the EIS coordinator.