australia's identified mineral resources 2005 - Geoscience Australia
australia's identified mineral resources 2005 - Geoscience Australia
australia's identified mineral resources 2005 - Geoscience Australia
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AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES <strong>2005</strong><br />
American Metals and Coal International (AMCI): Plan to develop a trial underground coking coal<br />
mine at the Carborough Downs project near the Peak Downs mine. The mine will begin development<br />
with two continuous miners during <strong>2005</strong>. AMCI and Aquila Resources plan to produce a feasibility<br />
study by mid-<strong>2005</strong> for the Isaac Plains open-cut coal mine development, which is scheduled to<br />
commence production by July 2006.<br />
INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS – NEW SOUTH WALES<br />
BHP Billiton: The US$200 million Dendrobium underground longwall mine is scheduled to<br />
commence operations in April <strong>2005</strong>. It will be capable of producing up to 5.2 Mtpa of raw coking<br />
coal. To extend the mine life of the Appin project beyond 2006, the mine plan requires coal<br />
extraction under the Nepean River to Menangle and Douglas Park.<br />
Coal and Allied: Mt Thorley and Warkworth mines have been managed as one operation since<br />
January 2004. The Mt Pleasant open-cut thermal coal deposit development options include integration<br />
with Bengalla or a smaller stand alone operation.<br />
Xstrata Coal: At Ulan a new $90 million 400 m wide longwall system with 2 m wide supports is to<br />
be installed creating the widest longwall face in <strong>Australia</strong>. The system will be capable of producing<br />
5.5 Mtpa and is expected to be in operation in late <strong>2005</strong>. This will ensure the future of the Ulan<br />
mine for at least another 20 years after closure of the Ulan open-cut mine in late 2007. At Mt Owen,<br />
Xstrata plan to extend the approved mining operations by approximately 500 m. At Cumnock a study<br />
is in progress to determine whether the remaining resource can be economically mined beyond 2008.<br />
Anglo Coal: The new Kayuga underground longwall mine commenced operations in mid-2004<br />
at the Dartbrook project. The Saddlers Creek deposit is proposed to be a combined open-cut and<br />
underground operation.<br />
Centennial Coal: The $185 million Mandalong project commenced longwall operations in January<br />
<strong>2005</strong> at a rate of up to 4.0 Mtpa. In October 2004, Centennial signed a long term contract with<br />
Macquarie Generation to supply 30 Mt of thermal coal from the Anvil Hill project over 12 years<br />
from 2008. The Mannering Colliery (previously Wyee) commenced a “super panel” continuous miner<br />
operation in January <strong>2005</strong> at a rate of 0.5 Mtpa using. The Clarence mine was expanded by 1.2 Mtpa<br />
in 2004 by introducing a third super place change unit. Mining commenced on a small open-cut<br />
(Lamberts Gully) at the Springvale project. Newstan Colliery has plans for a drift to be driven from<br />
the Awaba mine to reduce travel times and increase capacity by 0.5 Mtpa. Work commenced in<br />
December 2004 on the Fassifern Auger Mine. The new Southern open-cut commenced at Charbon<br />
during 2004. The Ivanhoe mine closed in March 2004 after 96 years of operation.<br />
Austral Coal: The new $130 million Tahmoor North longwall was commissioned in June 2004<br />
at a planned rate of production of 4 Mtpa over 8 years. The Tahmoor longwall ceased operations<br />
in March 2004.<br />
22<br />
Excel Coal: In January <strong>2005</strong>, Excel commenced expansion of the Wambo open-cut coal mine to<br />
7.5 Mtpa by purchasing $56 million of mobile equipment and spending $44 million building a<br />
15 km rail link to the Mt Thorley rail loader, which is scheduled for completion in late <strong>2005</strong>.<br />
Excel also commenced an upgrade of the coal handling and preparation plant capacity to 10 Mtpa<br />
(raw) and plan to develop two new longwall operations. At the Metropolitan Colliery production is<br />
to be increased to 1.5 Mtpa by mid-<strong>2005</strong> and at Chain Valley capacity was doubled to 0.7 Mtpa by<br />
installing a second continuous miner. The $156 million Wilpinjong open-cut thermal coal project is<br />
planned to deliver up to 7 Mtpa to Macquarie Generation from 2007 for 19 years.<br />
Gloucester Coal: At Duralie a feasibility study is underway to evaluate mining underground<br />
<strong>resources</strong> with trial mining planned for 2006/07. After exhaustion of the Bowens Road North mine,<br />
Bowens Road South, Roseville, Cloverdale and Avon North deposits are scheduled to be mined.