Boundary Hill mine
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The Boundary Hill mine is an open cut coal mine in Central Queensland, Australia.
Location
Background
The mine is part of the larger Callide mine complex. Boundary Hill is one of four pits within the Callide Mine.
The coal produced at Boundary Hill mine is transported by rail to the Gladstone and Callide power stations, where it is used to produce electricity. The majority of coal mined at Boundary Hill is used in these power stations, but some is exported to overseas customers.[1]
Boundary Hill has been open since at least 1988, though it likely was opened earlier and no record of this could be located.[2] Callide mine opened in 1944.
Coal reserves at the original Boundary Hill pit were expected to be depleted by approximately 2016, and operations would be reduced after that.[3] In order to maintain output of about 2.6 mtpa, Anglo American decided to apply for a mine extension, the Boundary Hill South Project. In 2018, this request was approved, which would expand operations to the south and extend the life of mining at Boundary Hill by approximately 20 years, until 2043.[4]
Project Details
- Sponsor: Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd[1]
- Parent Company: Anglo American[1]
- Location: 120km southwest of Gladstone and 20km northeast of the town of Biloela in Central Queensland[5]
- GPS Coordinates: -24.199444, 150.494057 (exact)
- Status: Operating[6]
- Production Capacity: 2.6 mtpa[4]
- Total Resource:
- Mineable Reserves:
- Coal type: thermal black coal[1]
- Mine Size: 317 hectares (Boundary Hill South Project)[7]
- Mine Type: open cut[7]
- Start Year: has been open since 1988[2]
- Source of Financing:
Opposition to Expansion
In January 2018, Batchfire’s Boundary Hill mine was granted a mining lease that extended the operation until 2043, which caused some dispute. In a media statement, Dr. Anthony Lynham, the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, wrote that “the lease provided job security for the current 450 employees at the Callide Mine Complex for another 25 years.”[8] However, Queensland Greens Senator and spokesperson for Mining and Resources, Andrew Bartlett, released a statement that accused the decision of “betray(ing) Queenslanders while serving the interests of the Labor Party's paymasters in the fossil fuel industry,” according to the Observer.[9]
"Coal kills. If we don't invest in renewable, clean energy, parts of Queensland will become unliveable, natural disasters will be far worse and farming will be devastated," Bartlett said, according to The Observer.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "BOUNDARY HILL," "MiningLink," accessed May 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 M.B. HULEATT, "Handbook of Australian Black Coals: Geology, resources, seam properties, and product specifications," "Department of Primary Industries and Energy," 1991.
- ↑ "Boundary Hill South Project: Description of the Project," "Anglo American", accessed May 2020.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Boundary Hill South Project: Land," "Anglo American," accessed May 2020.
- ↑ "Callide Coal Mine," "Batchfire Callide," accessed May 2020.
- ↑ "Boundary Hill approved to 2043," "Australia's Mining Monthly," January 8, 2018.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Draft Terms of Reference for the Boundary Hill South Lease Extension Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)," "Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd," June 2012.
- ↑ "Callide mine given extended life", The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory, January 4, 2018
- ↑ Vanessa Jarrett, "Reaction mixed over Callide mine extension" The Gladstone Observer, January 8 , 2018
