Baralaba Coal Mine

Location

The Baralaba mine is located near the town of Baralaba in the south eastern limb of the Bowen Basin, Queensland.

Production is from the well-known Rangal Coal Measures, and is exported from the Port of Gladstone. The mine lease sits within a wider 550km2 area of Cockatoo Coal exploration tenements that are expected to support an expanded 3.5Mtpa Baralaba operation from 2015.

Mine Production

Production during the quarter was budgeted to be lower than the previous quarter to account for the wet season, but was further adversely impacted by weather with approximately 30 production shifts lost due to access restrictions. The mine itself did not suffer any damage due to the weather.  Whilst production activities were restricted, mine planning for future operations in the existing mining areas was optimised with the benefit of this optimisation expected to be realised during the remainder of the year.  Production for the full calendar year is expected to achieve budget.

 
June
2012
Quarter
 September 2012 Quarter December 2012 Quarter

March 2013 Quarter
YTD

ROM coal (tonnes)

 150,640 232, 988 186, 645 99, 687 519, 320

Overburden (bcm)

 1,631,754 1, 920, 328 1, 830, 935 1, 005, 283 4, 756, 546
 

Wet weather also impacted the Moura Rail System with the rail line being closed to rail traffic on two occasions for a total of 36 days and also subject to restricted traffic for a further 37 days, resulting in shipments during the quarter being lower than forecast.  The Moura Rail System is now operating at full capacity and planned shipments during the June quarter are expected to make up for most of the shortfall this quarter.

Mine Planning

Reflecting the significant growth in export coal demand forecast to occur globally during the next 10+ years, planning is underway for a staged expansion of Baralaba mine and the Company’s nearby exploration grounds.

 The granting of the Mining Lease 80157, received on 22 July 2010, enables the Company’s mining at the Baralaba Mine to continue north from the current operations. Mining in ML 80157 is expected to continue for approximately 24 months.

 

The company currently anticipates increasing production from Baralaba to

  • 950,000tpa in the next 12-15 months, and to
  • 3.5Mtpa from 2015.
     

Link to:

Baralaba and the Community

Baralaba History

For more information go to www.baralabacoal.net.au