Teresa coal project (lapsed)
Project summary
The former proponent, New Emerald Coal (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linc Energy), has been replaced by United Mining Group (a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Queensland Resources Pty Limited). The new proponent proposes to continue with the development of an underground coal mine located 17km north of Emerald in Central Queensland. The project is proposed to take place within applications for mining leases (ML70442 and ML70405) covering approximately 10,000 hectares. Coal would be mined at a rate of up to eight million tonnes per year (Mt/y) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal, which after processing would produce 6.4 Mt/y of export quality pulverised coal injection (PCI) coal for up to 30 years.
The project contains a total resource of approximately 310 million tonnes in the target Corvus II seam, which ranges from 130 metres (m) to 370m deep with an average thickness of 2.6m.
Underground mining would be primarily by conventional retreat longwall extraction methods. Partial block extraction by continuous mining methods would also be used where geological conditions require. The mine layout provides for underground panels up to 6km long and 300m wide. Extracted coal would be stored on a surface ROM stockpile. ROM coal would be fed through a coal sizing station. PCI product coal would be discharged to a stockpile area for temporary storage. Coarse and fine coal rejects would be discharged to a rejects emplacement area. Product coal would be trucked off-site to the Gregory-Burngrove railway line approximately 30km to the east. Haul road options are outlined in the environmental impact statement (EIS).
Site access by road would be from the Gregory Highway.
A subsidence assessment has been included in the EIS.
The total workforce required would be approximately 350 peak contract personnel during construction and 440 full-time equivalent staff during operations. An accommodation village would be established in Emerald or Capella by a third party and would be subject to a separate assessment and approval process.
Annual raw water requirements are expected to be 2500 megalitres per year. Raw water is expected to be supplied from a new pipeline and pumping station downstream of Fairbairn Dam, which would be subject to a separate assessment and approval process.
The proponent is in negotiations with Ergon Energy regarding obtaining power supply from the existing 66kV Lilyvale to Emerald transmission line.
A primary sewage treatment plant will be situated on-site, and sludge and effluent from the plant will be disposed by a licensed contractor to a licensed waste disposal facility.
A social impact assessment to determine the beneficial and adverse social and socio-economic impacts of the project has been included in the EIS.
Queensland environmental impact statement (EIS) process
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act)
On 16 February 2011, an application was made by the proponent under section 154 of the EP Act for an environmental authority. Under section 162 of the EP Act it was determined by the department that assessment of the Teresa Coal Project would be by EIS.
Commonwealth assessment process
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
On 7 October 2011, the then Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities determined the proposed project to be a controlled action under the Commonwealth EPBC Act. The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities) and 20 and 20A (listed migratory species). On 24 October 2014, the Commonwealth Department of the Environment determined that sections 24D and 24E (water resources) are also a controlling provision. The project will be assessed under the Bilateral Agreement using the EIS prepared under the EP Act. The potential impacts of the project on the controlling provisions are outlined in Volume 1, Chapter 12 of the EIS.
Current status of the EIS process
The EIS was made available to the public for review in February 2014, and submissions about the EIS were given to the proponent in April 2014.
United Mining Group originally had until 15 May 2015 to submit a response to submissions on the EIS to the department for assessment but the response was not submitted by that date. Consequently, the EIS process was suspended under section 67 of the EP Act. The proponent then had until 13 May 2016 to submit the response to submissions on the EIS. However, the response was not received by the due date, and consequently, the submitted EIS has lapsed.
Documents
- Final terms of reference (March 2012)
- Draft terms of reference (October 2011)
- Initial advice statement describing the project (October 2011)
Further information
For further information about the EIS process for the Teresa Coal Project, contact the EIS Coordinator on 13QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@des.qld.gov.au.