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The Newlands-Collinsville-Abbot Point (NCA) Project is a joint venture between Mount Isa Mines Limited (75%) and Itochu Coal Resources Australia (25%). The NCA forms a strategic mining, processing and exporting partnership cost-effectively delivering high quality thermal and coking coals to worldwide customers. The NCA Project includes the Newlands open cut and underground longwall mining operations, the Collinsville open cut mine and the Abbot Point coal terminal. Located in the northern part of Queensland's Bowen Basin, Newlands mine produces export thermal coal from underground and open cut mining operations. Newlands mine is 130 kilometres (197 kilometres by road) west of the coastal centre of Mackay and 32 kilometres north-west of Glenden. It is 77 kilometres south of the town of Collinsville and the NCA Project partner mine Collinsville coal mine, and 171 kilometres by rail from Abbot Point. The Newlands mine won both the Queensland and Australian Minerals Export Awards in 1999. Newlands was developed by the MIM group as part of an expansion into large-scale coal production. Development began in 1981 and coal mining operations commenced in 1983. Development included the service town of Glenden and installation of power supplies, water, roads and communications. It also involved the provision of new and upgraded railways and modern locomotives and rollingstock and the establishment of the deepwater port of Abbot Point. The railway and port also serve Collinsville mine. Newlands was originally developed as an open cut mine to a production level of between four and five million tonnes a year. With the addition of a large underground longwall mine, infrastructure capacity was upgraded during the late 1990s to the current capacity of around 7.8 million tonnes a year of product coal. Newlands produces a high grade, washed medium volatile thermal coal for export markets. It has low sulphur content, high calorific value and good combustion properties. Ash fusion temperatures are high and the coal has good grindability. Newlands coal is particularly suitable for use as pulverised fuel in power stations, cement kilns or fluidised bed boilers. Coal from Newlands mine is exported to customers in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other Asian and European countries. The excellent port and shipping facilities at Abbot Point provide a vital link to export markets. The combination of good quality coal, efficient mining operations and dedicated infrastructure makes Newlands coal highly competitive on world markets. Coal is mined from a single seam - the Upper Newlands which varies between 5.5 and 6.5 metres in thickness and averages 6.0 metres. It was originally designed to produce some 4.5 million tonnes a year and has achieved average annual output of 4.2 to 5 million tonnes of washed coal from open cut operations. Capacity was expanded through the development of the Newlands south underground longwall operation which began producing coal in August 1998. Within two years Newlands South Underground became Australia's leading longwall operation producing 5.7 million tonnes a year. In 1999 it became Australia's first mine to produce more than 500,000 tonnes of run-of-mine longwall production in a month. Newlands produces around 13 million tonnes of product coal a year. Underground resources have been developed to compensate for the decrease in open cut production due to the progressively increasing strip ratio. Open cut production will continue from lower strip ratio areas including satellite deposits such as Suttor Creek. There is an ongoing exploration programme aimed at defining additional open cut and underground reserves. The opening of the Newlands underground operation in late 1998 signified a new era in MIM's production of thermal coal. The underground operation uses modern longwall mining technology with design capacity of 3,500 tonnes per hour and peak load capacity around 5,000 tonnes per hour. The conveyor belt system is designed to operate at 5,500 tonnes per hour. The system is designed to eliminate bottlenecks in coal clearance from the longwall face to the mine's surface stockpile. Coal is then road hauled from this stockpile to the preparation plant. Conventional open cut methods are used in the Newlands mining operation. After land clearing, the topsoil is stripped and stockpiled for later land rehabilitation. The bulk of the overburden is removed by draglines equipped with 46 cubic metre buckets in a multi-stage operation incorporating coal blasting, prestripping, dozer pushing, and post stripping. The coal surface is cleaned by rubber tyred dozer and drilled ready for blasting. Newlands uses hydraulic excavators to mine the coal. These units load the coal haulers from on top of the coal. Coal from underground and open cut mining operations is transported to the elevated run-of-mine dump station before entering the washplant. The run-of-mine stockpile can hold 300,000 tonnes of coal. Preparation consists of three stages of crushing which reduces the coal to a maximum size of 50 millimetres, washing of the raw coal, and blending as product coal prior to stockpiling. For flexibility, most of the Newlands coal preparation process is through two parallel modules which are identical but completely independent. The main components of the Newlands washplant are two Batac jigs. Each has three washing beds which separate the coal from reject material. Fine coal not separated in the Batac jigs is recovered by Jameson Flotation Cells using primary and secondary flotation stages and spirals. The moisture is reduced by horizontal belt filters. The washed portion and flotation concentrate are combined and placed on a product stockpile for rail transport to Abbot Point. The coal preparation process is centrally controlled by a computerised control system. Its automatic onstream ash analysis sampling system ensures consistent product quality. Coal is reclaimed from the product stockpile for loading onto dedicated unit trains at 2,600 tonnes per hour. Coal trains are loaded while moving slowly beneath a 700 tonne capacity bin mounted over a rail loop. Coal trains consist of bottom-dump wagons hauled 171 kilometres to the Abbot Point terminal by three diesel-electric locomotives. Each wagon has a maximum capacity of 62.5 net product tonnes and each train transports approximately 4,200 tonnes of coal. Located almost 200 kilometres west of Mackay, Newlands is one of several large-scale coal mining operations in the Bowen Basin. The innovative Internally Drained Rehabilitation (IDR) technique developed at Oaky Creek has also been implemented at Newlands. Record rehabilitation efforts at Newlands over recent years, has cleared the backlog of areas waiting for rehabilitation which at its peak was in excess of 750 hectares. Since 2000 all areas disturbed by mining at Newlands have been rehabilitated immediately following the completion of the mining. These reshaped areas at Newlands are seeded by helicopter with native tree, grass and shrub species during times of suitable rainfall to maximise growth. Like all MIM sites, the ultimate environmental goal at Newlands is to revegetate mined land to a stable and self-sustaining native bushland. Rehabilitation performance, water quality, meteorological data, noise and dust levels are all constantly monitored at Newlands to confirm environmental management progress and determine potential improvements. As a vital component of Newlands environmental management, approximately 82% of water used in the coal preparation plant is from recycled sources. In 2002, Newlands expects to save at least $75,000 through recycling activities. Environmental employees at Newlands use impact assessment techniques to assist in planning new mining projects such as the new Suttor Creek mining project. Glenden was developed in 1983 in conjunction with the Newlands Project. It boasts a great climate, clean air and the great Australian bush, all of which are ingredients for a healthy lifestyle. Mackay is only approximately one and a half hours drive away and just beyond Mackay - the Whitsunday Islands, Townsville and Rockhampton. The population is currently around 1100. The company provides housing for its employees and contractors in the form of three and four bedroom homes and self contained flats. Glenden has many features that make it a great place and a safe environment in which to live. Everything is within walking distance and the Shopping Centre includes everything for everyday living. Daycare and kindergarten facilities are available and the school provides facilities from pre-school to grade 12. Medical facilities include a resident doctor, Community Health Centre and Ambulance Centre. Pharmaceutical supplies are available from the Medical Centre. Glenden also enjoys the support of the Central Queensland Rescue Helicopter Service for medical emergencies. The Glenden Town Club is the social centre of the town with a very modern and attractive restaurant, Club TAB, poker machines and Sky Channel. The club provides live entertainment on a regular basis. Other available services include a police station, motel and service station. Recreational facilities include a nine hole golf course, bowls club, 50 metre swimming pool, multi sports complex and outdoor basketball courts. The NCA Project brings substantial benefits to Queensland and to central Queensland in particular. In addition to ongoing investment in exploration, new mines and expenditure on existing operations, MIM pays around $80 million a year in royalties, rail freight, port and other charges and payroll tax to the Queensland government. Whenever feasible NCA investment and spending is directed to the local region. Spending in central Queensland amounts to some $200 million a year including around $1.7 million a year for local council rates. Local organisations are strongly supported by NCA including regional education, cultural, sporting, medical business and community groups.
Collinsville mine, located at the northern limit of the Bowen Basin coalfield in Queensland, is an open cut operation producing a variety of coking and thermal coal products for both overseas and domestic markets. The mine is 80 kilometres south-west of the coastal town of Bowen and 108 kilometres by rail from Abbot Point. Collinsville Coal Company Pty. Ltd. administers the mine on behalf of the joint venture partners, Mount Isa Mines Limited and Itochu Coal Resources of Australia Pty. Ltd. Over the last decade, Collinsville mine has undergone significant improvement in management and operating practices to achieve continually increasing productivity. Collinsville Coal's contribution to the State's export industry was recognised in 1997 when it received the Queensland Premier's Award for Excellence in Export Achievement. Collinsville was recognised as a potential coalfield as early as 1866, when the area became known as the Bowen River Coalfield. Aboriginal people in the area had previously referred to it as 'Moongunya', meaning coal. Although Collinsville is close to the port of Bowen, initial development of the mine was slow, principally due to the absence of a rail link. After successful mining trials, railway construction from Bowen began in 1916, signifying the start of development on the coalfield. In 1919, the Bowen Consolidated Coal Mines Limited (BCCM) was formed to become one of two mining interests at Collinsville, the other being the government-owned State Mine. However, full scale production did not start until 1922 when completion of the railway provided access to coastal markets. At that time coal was mainly used by the railway, for steam generation in local industries, and as bunkering coal for the Bowen Harbour Board. In 1952, Mount Isa Mines Limited began a long association with the Collinsville mine, acquiring control of BCCM. The acquisition secured a reliable source of thermal and coking coals for the company. In 1961, Dacon Collieries Properties Pty. Ltd. acquired the State Government leases and in 1975 the Collinsville Coal Company Pty. Ltd. was formed by the merger of Dacon Collieries and BCCM. Regional exploration in the late 1970s identified potential for Collinsville to join the growing export coking coal business. The NCA Project began in the early 1980s, with expansion at Collinsville, the development of the Newlands mine and rail connection, upgrading of the rail link to the coast and development of the Abbot Point deep water port facility. Due to the number of seams mined and processed, and the variability in coal seam quality between seams and across the lease, the Collinsville operation can produce a wide range of coal products. This ability to supply a variety of products for international and domestic customers allows great flexibility in the marketplace. Collinsville's export quality coking coal is a medium volatile, hard coking coal with good coking characteristics. Thermal coal for domestic use is sold unwashed, while export thermal coal is sold as unwashed or washed product to meet particular market requirements. For 15 years until April 1999, Collinsville supplied coking coal to the Japanese Steel Mills (JSM) under long term contract. Since April 1999, coking coal sales have been on a "spot basis". Thermal coal is supplied to various customers in Europe and Asia. North Queensland customers also use Collinsville thermal coal mainly for the generation of electricity. Domestic quality coking coal is supplied to the Bowen Coke Works, an MIM subsidiary, for use at the Mount Isa lead smelter. Collinsville is the most northerly operating coal mine in Australia. Mining operations cover an area 11 kilometres from east to west and six kilometres north to south. The coal occurs in a series of seams that outcrop close to the northern and western limits of the leases. These include the Blake, Bowen, Potts, Scott, Denison and Garrick seams. Collinsville's coking coal is by open cut mining. Overburden removal relies on a combination of cast blasting, bulk dozer pushing and conventional truck and excavator removal. Open cut and CHM mining occurs in four separate production areas - Scott Denison West, Scott Denison North, Garrick East and Garrick West. After the overburden is removed, coal is loaded by excavators and front-end loaders into rear-dump coal haulers for transport to the coal preparation plant where it is blended and washed to customer specifications. Collinsville's thermal coal is produced from the Bowen and Blake seams by open cut methods, similar to the coking coal operation. The Bowen seam is recovered from the Bowen Central and the No 2 Open Cut pits, where the seam thickness ranges from five to seven metres. After mining, thermal coal is crushed and stockpiled. The Blake seam is mined in Blake Central, Blake West and Blake North pits and varies in thickness from eight to 13 metres. Due to the distinct character of the seams and the need for selective mining in both areas, mining occurs in a number of discrete production passes, each between one and three metres, interspersed with reject and stone band removal. Mining at Collinsville is undertaken by Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd. Coal is transported by rail to various domestic customers and to the port of Abbot Point for export. Coal trains are loaded while moving slowly below a 2,400 tonne capacity bin mounted over a rail loop. A variety of rail wagons and train configurations are required to supply various customers. Export coking coal trains consist of bottom-dump wagons hauled by diesel-electric locomotives. Each wagon has a maximum capacity of 62.5 net product tonnes and each train transports approximately 4,200 tonnes of coal. All but seven kilometres of the railway to Abbot Point is used exclusively for hauling coal from the Collinsville and Newlands mines. Rehabilitation of mined areas plays an important role at all MIM operations including Collinsville in central Queensland. At Collinsville topsoil was carefully removed and stockpiled prior to mining commencing. The majority of the overburden at Collinsville is acid generating, therefore the landform is capped with a layer of weathered inert material before being topsoiled, fertilised and seeded with native vegetation. Since 1996 a concerted effort has been made to reduce the mine waste rock material at Collinsville. Having successfully eliminated the rehabilitation backlog, mine waste rock has progressively been reshaped to form final landforms that include gently sloping and rounded hills that reduce the potential for water infiltration and erosion. Disused infrastructure such as roads and lay down areas are currently being rehabilitated at the Collinsville site. Seeds from the resident Rosewood plantation and other native trees are being used to rehabilitate these areas to eventually transform them into self-supporting communities of native flora and fauna species. Environmental monitoring programs a Collinsville includes dust, noise, water, overburden classification and rehabilitation. As well as ensuring Collinsville complies with legislative requirements, monitoring also provides a comprehensive database of environmental conditions from season to season. The majority of Collinsville Coal Company's workforce and their families live in the nearby towns of Collinsville and Scottville where many families have lived for several generations. Community services include a hospital and medical centre, an ambulance station, a high school, primary schools, council offices, a library and a modern Community Centre. There are also numerous sports and recreation facilities, shops, hotels, motels, golf club, bowls club and a Workers' Club. The towns of Collinsville and Scottville are administered by the Bowen Shire Council.
Abbot Point is Australia's most northerly coal shipping port located 20 kilometres north of Bowen. It is a modern, deepwater, high-volume, fast turnaround port complex with extensive and efficient facilities both onshore and offshore. The port of Abbot Point is operated by Abbot Point Bulkcoal Pty. Ltd. a wholly-owned subsidiary of M.I.M. Holdings Limited. The coal terminal is part of the NCA Project, a joint venture between Mount Isa Mines Limited (75%) and Itochu Coal Resources Australia Pty. Ltd. (25%). Abbot Point is a dedicated coal port developed as part of the MIM group's expansion into large-scale export coal production to handle product from Collinsville and Newlands coal mines. Development of the 20 hectare Abbot Point site began in 1981 and the port commenced operations in 1984. Abbot Point won the Queensland Export Support Award in 1998. Abbot Point has a number of advantages as a coal shipping port:
Coal is railed to Abbot Point in trains of up to 67 wagons with a total capacity of approximately 4,200 tonnes. The trains unload at 4,000 tonnes per hour while moving through a bottom dump station with the coal then taken by conveyor to the 1.2 kilometre long stockpile area. The two stockpile areas at Abbot Point are each served by a stacker/reclaimer. These rail mounted machines operate along the stockpiles stacking coal from a boom and reclaiming by rotating bucket wheel. The stacker/reclaimers each have a capacity of 4,000 tonnes per hour and can be used together to blend coal to customer requirements. Total stockpile capacity is 1.25 million tonnes. During shiploading coal is reclaimed and conveyed to a 1,350 tonne surge bin through two weightometers and an automatic continuous sampling plant. The sampling plant meets Australian, British and international standards for compliance with coal contract specifications. It is also possible to load direct from train to ship without stockpiling, and to combine direct loading from train to ship with stockpile reclaim. The conveyor system extends along a 100 metre rock causeway and a 2.8 kilometre approach trestle that also supports a roadway to the deepwater wharf and shiploader. The wharf has a minimum depth of 19.3 metres and can accommodate ships up to 200,000 deadweight tonnes. The shiploader has a maximum capacity of 4,600 tonnes per hour, travelling on a track along the wharf, while the coal is conveyed up a boom extending over the ship and then down telescopic and deflector chutes into the hatches. Shiploading and all other port operations are centrally monitored and controlled by modern electronic equipment and systems to ensure optimal handling efficiency. Tidal movement of only 3.5 metres means even very large vessels can berth at or depart from Abbot Point on most days of the year. To assist shipping movements two 50 tonne bollard pull tugs provide a dedicated service to the port. Support facilities include an administration building, warehouse/workshop and changehouse. Abbot Point has its own water supply, and automatic fire detection and fire fighting equipment installed in key areas. Coal handling at the north Queensland offshore port of Abbot Point is carried out in accordance to the site specific EMS. Access to the port is via a narrow rail/road corridor through adjacent grazing properties and a flora and fauna sanctuary, which create a natural buffer zone around Abbot Point port facility. Abbot Point's anti-pollution system which consists of two settling ponds has been designed to trap any particles carried by water draining from the stockpile area. An extensive marine research program has established that the offshore facilities are increasing the community density and diversity of marine flora and fauna in the area. Abbot Point has a substantial positive effect on the local Bowen community. The terminal supports many related service industries, resulting in the employment of a large number of people. These positions have, in the main, been filled by local residents. Employees and their families mostly live in Bowen and contribute considerably to the town's economy. The direct employment, along with the supply of goods and services to the port and operations, provides considerable stimulus to overall business activity in the region. Abbot Point Bulkcoal's contribution to the state's export industry was recognised when it was named the winner of the Export Support Category of the 1998 Queensland Premier's Award for Export Achievement.
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