Name and Location
Alpha coal project, Queensland, Australia.

Client
GVK Hancock, a joint venture between Indian conglomerate GVK (79%) and Hancock Prospecting (21%).

Project Description
The proposed Alpha project, in Queensland, has a Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource of 1.8-billion tonnes with an estimated 1.2-billion tonnes of reserves. The opencut operation is expected to produce about 32-million tonnes a year over a 30-year mine life.

The project involves the construction of an opencut coal mine and a 495 km railway line from the mine to the Port of Abbot Point, near Bowen.

The mine plan comprises six separate opencut pits, with a total strike length of 24 km in a north–south direction.

Ancillary infrastructure at the mine will include an above-ground tailings storage facility, environmental water and raw-water dams, water supply and treatment infrastructure, quarry pits, access roads, workshops, fuel and oil storage, communications and power infrastructure, as well as offices and accommodation facilities.

Value
A$10-billion.

Duration
Hancock Coal expects the construction period to occur between 2013 and 2016, subject to the relevant approvals being granted for the project.

Latest Developments
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal from an antimining lobby to have the environmental approval of the $10-billion Alpha coal project overturned.

The project was granted environmental authority in 2014, clearing the path for developer GVK Hancock to focus on construction. However, lobby group Coast and County had challenged plans to build the mine.

The miner’s next steps will be to execute coal offtake agreements with customers and to finalise all financing arrangements in preparation for the start of construction.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
WorleyParsons and Ausenco (programme management services), Aurizon Holdings (rail development), Thiess (preferred mine operations contractor).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
GVK Resources, tel +61 7 3003 5500, fax +61 7 3229 4788 or email mail@gvkresources.com.
Ausenco, tel +61 7 3169 7000 or fax +61 7 3169 7001.
WorleyParsons, tel +61 2 8923 6866 or fax +61 2 8923 6877.
Thiess media enquiries, Alex Smith, tel +61 7 3002 9673 or email media@thiess.com.au.