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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.

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