The Queensland Coordinator-General has recommended that Whitehaven Coal’s Winchester South coal project be allowed to proceed, subject to conditions.
The proposed coal project is located in the Bowen Basin and will produce up to 17 million tonnes per annum to the international market. The mine is also set to create approximately 500 jobs.
“This Coordinator General recommendation is an 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,” Whitehaven said in a statement.
Whitehaven acquired Winchester South from Rio Tinto in 2018. The site sits adjacent to the Daunia coal mine, which Whitehaven acquired from BHP in October.
This may provide opportunities for Whitehaven to merge the two operations in the future.
Once completed, the Winchester South project would include, among others:
- the development of an open cut coal mine
- 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 eight kilometre rail spur and loop connecting to the Norwich Park Branch Railway
- train load-out facility, including product coal stockpiles for rail transport.
“I recommend that the project proceed, subject to conditions and recommendations,” Assistant Coordinator-General as delegate of the Coordinator-General Kerry Smeltzer said in the report.
“I expect that the commitments made by the proponent in the EIS (environmental impact statement) will be fully implemented.”
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