AUSTRALIA: Queensland’s government has approved Adani Mining’s proposed A$16·5bn Carmichael coal mine and rail project, subject to environmental and social conditions.
‘This project has the potential to be the largest coal mine in Australia and one of the largest in the world’, said Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure & Planning Jeff Seeney on May 8.
The state’s environmental report will now go to the federal government for consideration.
The proposed mine in the north Galilee Basin 160 km northwest of Clermont would produce 60 mtpa of thermal coal, predominantly for the Indian market. This would be exported through the ports of Abbot Point and Hay Point via a new 189 km privately-owned railway linking the mine to Aurizon’s 1 067 mm gauge Goonyella Rail System near Moranbah.
Traffic is estimated at 12 trains each way per day, formed of four locomotives and 164 wagons.
