PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Construction on the A$1.76-billion Byerwen coal project, in Queensland, should begin soon, after Australia's QCoal and Japan’s JFE Steel Corporation on Monday announced they had approved the development.
The approval came after the Queensland state government last month granted mining leases to Byerwen Coal, the companies' joint venture, to develop two tenements in the project.
Early stage development will be carried out with the aim to begin shipping coal in early 2018.
"The Byerwen mine project will generate 350 construction jobs at peak, followed by up to 545 ongoing jobs once this coking and thermal mine is fully operational,” said Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham.
“It’s particularly good news for locals, as the proponent has previously committed to hiring from Glenden, Nebo, Moranbah and Collinsville and across the wider region.”
The proposed Byerwen mine is forecast to yield up to 10-million tonnes a year of high-quality coking coal and thermal coal from opencut operations 20 km west of Glenden, with coal to be railed to Abbot Point Coal Terminal for export.
The size of the mine and favourable conditions for large-scale opencut mining will help to ensure a cost-competitive product, JFE Steel said in a statement on Monday.
Together with QCoal, JFE Steel will work to develop the mine and provide a stable, long-term supply of coking coal, which is expected to help reduce volatility in the coking coal market.