Rolleston Coal expansion project
Project summary
The proponent for the Rolleston Coal Expansion Project (the project) is the Rolleston Coal Joint Venture whose joint venture partners comprise Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd (75 per cent), Sumisho Coal Australia Pty Ltd (12.5 per cent) and Itochu Coal Resources Australia RPW Pty Ltd (12.5 per cent). During preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS), Xstrata plc (the parent company of Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd) merged with Glencore plc. The new entity is Glencore Xstrata plc. As a result of this merger, Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd has now changed its name to Glencore Coal Queensland Pty Ltd. For the purposes of the EIS reference to Xstrata Coal Queensland remains.
The proponent seeks to expand the existing Rolleston Coal Mine (the mine) located in the Bowen Basin, Central Highlands Regional Council area in Central Queensland. The mine is situated 16 kilometres (km) west of Rolleston, approximately 270km west of Gladstone and 120km south-east of Emerald. The proposed expansion will encompass mining lease application (MLA) 70415, MLA 70416 and the proposed Springwood MLA, located south and west of MLA 70415 and MLA 70416 respectively.
The proposal is to increase production from the currently approved 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) run-of-mine coal (ROM) to up to 19mtpa, extending the life of the mine for approximately 30 years. The project would consist of up to 10 open-cut pits that would either be extensions to the existing mine operation or new adjacent pits. Overburden would be placed in dumps in predominantly mined out areas and reshaped, topsoiled and rehabilitated. The required vegetation clearing would be undertaken in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws. The project would be largely supported by existing mine infrastructure but will include upgrades to the preparation plant, accommodation village and the rail spur. Overburden would be removed by dragline, supported by excavators or shovels and haul trucks, with the coal extracted and then crushed, sized and blended on-site prior to being railed to domestic markets and to Queensland coal ports for export.
The proposed project would require the following activities:
- an expansion of the total project area to 12,758ha
- a full production workforce of approximately 1030 employees
- extension to existing accommodation facilities
- upgrade to the offices and workshops
- upgrade to the power supply, water supply and sewerage treatment systems
- upgrade to ROM crushing plant
- upgrade to the rail facility
- new light vehicle and haul roads
- new stockpiles
- potential relocation of Springwood Road
- potential dams and levees
- creek diversion between Sandy Creek and Meteor Creek
Commonwealth assessment process
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The project was referred (EPBC 2011/5965) to the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (now Department of the Environment (DOE), who decided on 21 June 2011 that the proposed project is a controlled action under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The controlling provisions are sections 12 and 15A (World Heritage properties), sections 15B and 15C (National Heritage places), sections 18 and 18A (Listed threatened species and communities), sections 20 and 20A (Listed migratory species) and sections 24B and 24C (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). On 17 October 2013, DOE determined that sections 24D and 24E (water resources, in relation to coal seam gas development and large coal mining development) are also a controlling provisions.
The State’s EIS process in the Environmental Protection Act 1994 has been accredited for the assessment under Part 8 of the EPBC Act in accordance with the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth and the State of Queensland under Section 45 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The impacts of the project on the controlling provisions (sections 12, 15A, 18, 18A, 24B, 24C, 24D and 24E) have been assessed.
Queensland assessment process
Environmental Protection Act 1994
On 14 October 2009, an application was made by the proponent for an amendment to their existing environmental authority MIM800090802 in relation to mineral development licence (MDL) 227, mining lease (ML) 70307, MLA 70415 and MLA 70416. The Department of Environment and Resource Management (now Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP)) decided on 27 October 2009 that the application was to be assessed as a non-code compliant level 1 mining project subject to an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
The EIS Assessment Report was issued to Glencore Coal Queensland Pty Ltd on 23 February 2015 by EHP in accordance with Section 60 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994. The EIS process under Chapter 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 is now complete. A copy of the assessment report has been provided to Commonwealth Department of the Environment for consideration in making a decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:
For further information about the EIS process for the Rolleston Coal Expansion Project, please contact the EIS Coordinator on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@des.qld.gov.au.