The Terminal operates 365 days per year and can accommodate vessels up to 200,000 DWT with a loading rate of 7,200 tonnes per hour. It receives a range of coal from a variety of coal producers. Customers are able to access a suite of coals to meet their specific production requirements from one port, thereby avoiding the additional cost of loading at multiple ports. The Terminal provides the added cost benefit of being one of the closest Australian ports to the Asian market.
Current port capacity at the Terminal is 68 million tonnes per annum and is expected to reach 85 million tonnes per annum from early 2009. The mines have long term agreements with Queensland Rail and Prime Infrastructure for railing and shipping coal.
The CMJV participants are members of the Australian Coal Association. The Australian Coal Association Research Program contributes towards research into safety and health, greenhouse gas emissions, mining technology development and the environmental impacts of mining.
APC employs an environmental consultant to advise on environmental management practices at the mines and to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards.
Mining and coal processing operations are undertaken by contractors. Both of the mining contractors at the mines are signatories of the Australian Minerals Industry Code for Environmental Management. The code, developed by the Minerals Council of Australia, seeks to achieve continual improvement in environmental performance and accountability in the mining industry.
The coal mining industry positively impacts the provision of both urban and rural infrastructure. The Queensland government receives royalties for all Queensland coal sold.
Besides, CITIC Bowen Basin Pty. Ltd. (“CITIC Bowen Basin”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, completed disposal of its 8% interest in the Codrilla Project to certain CMJV participants in June 2011. Meanwhile, CITIC Bowen Basin has also transferred its remaining 7% interest in the Codrilla Project to CITIC Australia Coppabella Pty Limited ("CITIC Coppabella"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and a CMJV participant. At present, the Company holds 7% of the Codrilla Project through its interests in the CMJV.
Coppabella Coal Mine
The Coppabella Mine is situated 140 km south-west of Mackay in North Queensland, Australia.
The development of the Coppabella Mine from a greenfields project to a coal producing project set an industry benchmark. Development was completed in less than 12 months, allowing mining to commence in July 1998. The mining lease over the initial mining area was granted on 1 June 1998 following the signing of a Native Title Agreement on 11 May 1998.
The successful development of the Coppabella Mine is based on:
- production of an 8.5% ash low volatile PCI coal for a growing market;
- the existence of a large, shallow coal deposit with an average seam thickness of about ten metres;
- the close proximity to rail and port infrastructure; and
- the modern, efficient coal preparation plant.
The Coppabella Mine completed its first shipment of PCI coal on 6 November 1998 which was exported to Japan. The washing capacity of the coal handling and preparation plant is currently above 850 tonnes per hour, giving the plant an annual throughput capacity in excess of 6 million tonnes of raw coal.
The seam currently being mined is 10 metres thick. It has 59.7 million tonnes of measured resources and 121.6 million tonnes of indicated resources as at 30 June 2010. The Coppabella Mine is currently operating at full capacity.
The Coppabella Mine currently has a market share of about 35% of world seaborne low volatile PCI coal production, of which coal is exported to Asia, Europe and Brazil.
Roche Mining Pty Limited is its principal mining contractor.
Moorvale Coal Mine
The Moorvale Mine is situated 157 km by rail from the Terminal and 13 km south of the Coppabella Mine.
The strategic strengths of the Moorvale Mine include:
- its proximity to the rail corridor and port;
- relatively low operating and capital costs; and
- flexibility to produce:
| - |
an 9% ash low volatile PCI coal; |
| - |
13% to 17% ash thermal coal; and, |
| - |
an 8% ash coking coal. |
 |
|
The development of the Moorvale Mine from a greenfields project to a coal producing project was completed in just 12 months after the grant of the mining leases on 5 December 2002. The overburden removal commenced shortly afterwards. Uncovering coal began in March 2003.
The Moorvale Mine completed its first shipment of export coal on 6 December 2003. The washing capacity of the coal handling and preparation plant is currently 600 tonnes per hour, giving the plant an annual throughput capacity in excess of 3.4 million tonnes of raw coal.
The seam currently being mined is approximately 9 metres thick. It has 66.7 million tonnes of measured resources as at 30 June 2010. The Moorvale Mine is capable of building up to an annual capacity of 2.2 million tonnes as at 2009.
Leighton Contractors Pty Limited has responsibility for the current stage of mining operations.
Codrilla Coal Mine
With construction of the Codrilla mine expected to commence in 2012, the Codrilla Project is located in the south east of the Moorvale Mine in the Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia with a JORC resource estimate at 79.5 million tonnes of coal suited to the preparation of LV PCI coal product. The close proximity of the Codrilla Project to the Moorvale mine will allow access to the Moorvale mine rail load-out facility, achieving superior economies of scale in infrastructure. |
Back to top
