Name and Location
Baralaba North continued operations project (BNCOP), Queensland, Australia.

Client
Cockatoo Coal.

Project Description
The BNCOP allows for continuous and expanding opencut coal mining and the introduction of processing activities at the Baralaba coal mine and Baralaba North/Wonbindi North mine.

The mine will produce up to 4.1-million tonnes a year of run-of-mine (RoM) pulverised coal injection coal to produce up to 3.5-million tonnes a year of product coal for up to 15 years.

RoM coal will be sized and washed at an on-site coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP).

Coarse rejects and partially dewatered fine rejects from coal crushing and washing will be backfilled in the pit within waste rock. Product coal will be trucked along a haul route similar to the one used for the existing operation to a new train load-out facility proposed to be located adjacent to the Dawson highway about 3 km east of Moura. Product coal will then be railed along the Moura–Gladstone railway line to the Wiggins Island coal export terminal and RG Tanna coal terminals for export.

Other infrastructure required for the project will include RoM and product coal stockpiles, new haul roads and light-vehicle roads, water management dams and levees, a mining infrastructure area, soil stockpile, laydown and borrow areas, as well as upgraded administration and maintenance facilities at the existing Baralaba coal mine.

Water will be supplied from multiple sources, including pit dewatering from groundwater inflows, surface runoff captured in on-site water dams, existing water allocations from the Dawson river, and treated and/or recycled water from the CHPP.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
The project is estimated at A$370-million.

Duration
The expanded 3.5-million-tonne-a-year Baralaba operation is expected to be in operation from 2015.

Latest Developments
The BNCOP environmental-impact statement was released for public comment in May this year, with the submission period for comments closing on July 7.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Cockatoo Coal, tel +61 7 3640 4700, fax +61 7 3640 4799 or email info@cockatoocoal.com.au.