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Home > Coordinator General > Assessments and approvals > Significant projects > Current EIS projects > Caval Ridge Mine (part of the BMA Bowen Basin Coal Growth project)

Caval Ridge Mine (part of the BMA Bowen Basin Coal Growth project)

Project overview*

EIS status Recommended project proceed subject to conditions and recommendations
Description Open-cut coal mine with a yield of 5.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), and associated infrastructure.
Proponent BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) Coal Operations. BMA is the manager and agent on behalf of the Central Queensland Coal Associates Joint Venture between BHP Billiton Ltd and Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd.
Location/s
  • Northern boundary: 6 km south of Moranbah.
  • Mine entrance: 17 km south of Moranbah and about 170 km south-west of Mackay. Map
Local government/s Isaac Regional Council
Investment $4 billion
Key features
  • open-cut mine
  • coal handling preparation plant
Expected completion 2013
Jobs
  • 2000 (construction)
  • 500 (operational)

BMA Bowen Basin Coal Growth Project

The Caval Ridge Mine is one of the four components of the BMA Bowen Basin Coal Growth Project. The others are:

  • Daunia Mine: new open-cut coal mine (4 mtpa) and coal handling preparation plant.
  • Goonyella Riverside Mine: expansion of existing open-cut and underground coal mine from 16mtpa to 24 mtpa.
  • Moranbah Airport: new airport, to replace the existing Moranbah airport.

In total, the new and expanded mines will produce an extra 17.5 mtpa of coking coal for export.

Please note: Although all four components are covered in the same initial advice statement and terms of reference for the EIS, each component will be the subject of a separate EIS.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date Activity
30 November 2011 Addendum to Coordinator-General’s report on EIS (PDF, 1.7 MB) released, approving the extension of time to submit the EIS for the subsequent Goonyella Riverside Mine component of the project to 30 November 2012.
18 March 2011 Federal environment minister's approval of 'controlled action', subject to conditions.
9 August 2010 Coordinator-General's report on EIS (PDF, 1 MB) released.
13 November 2009 to
14 December 2009		 Public consultation on supplementary EIS
7 February 2009 to
9 March 2009 		Public consultation on EIS.
6 November 2008 Terms of reference for EIS (PDF, 500 kB) released.
23 September 2008 Project deemed a 'controlled action' by federal environment minister.
20 August 2008 Project referred to federal environment minister.
18 July 2008 Gazettal of 'significant project declaration.
27 May 2008 Application, including initial advice statement (PDF, 1 MB) submitted.

Project changes

Project change application 1 - Accommodation village location and capacity

Date Activity
17 February 2011 Coordinator-General's report on project change (PDF, 602 kB) released, approving the change.
16 November 2010 to
15 November 2010		 Public consultation on proponent's project change application.
29 September 2010 Proponents project change application submitted. It comprises three documents:

Project change application 2 - Administration of environmental authority

Date Activity
16 November 2010 Coordinator-General's report on project change (PDF, 118 kB) released, approving the change.
9 November 2010 Proponent’s project change application submitted. It comprises two documents:

Project change application 3 - Housing study

Date Activity
14 July 2011 Coordinator-General's report on project change (PDF, 118 kB) released, approving the change.
3 June 2011 Proponent’s project change application submitted.

Project change application 4 - 100 per cent fly-in/fly-out operational workforce

Date Activity
2 September 2011 Coordinator-General's report on project change (PDF 208 kB) released, approving the change.
18 July 2011 to
15 August 2011		 Public consultation on project change application.
15 June 2011 Proponent’s project change application (PDF, 2.1 MB) submitted.

Project change application 5 - Rail alignment

Date Activity
Pending Coordinator-General's report on project change.
20 October 2011 Proponent’s project change application (PDF, 4.4 MB) submitted.

 

Read more about the EIS process.

Buffel Park Accommodation Village

BMA submitted three development applications to the Isaac Regional Council for approval.

The applications concerned the Buffel Park Accommodation Village, namely the construction of temporary and permanent accommodation for construction, operational and maintenance workers; and associated operational works.

On 14 April 2011, the council refused one of the three applications, saying it conflicted with the Belyando Planning Scheme by locating a residential use in a Rural Zone.

On 6 May 2011, BHP Billiton Limited asked the Treasurer and Minister for State Development and Trade to exercise his call-in powers under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.

On 6 June 2011 - following an invitation for public submissions on his use of his call-in powers - the Minister called in the three development applications.

The applications were called in on grounds of state interest. The Caval Ridge Mine - of which the accommodation village is a crucial part - and associated expansion of the Peak Downs Mine are expected to contribute about $500 million a year to the Queensland economy.

The Minister's call-in powers allow him to decide development applications in place of the Isaac Regional Council.

On 2 September 2011, the Minister decided to approve all three applications with conditions. The Minister's decisions cannot be appealed against.

Download decision notices

Media releases

Further information

For more information, visit BMA’s Growth Projects web page.

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.