The approval of a new mine in Queensland is set to bring 350 ongoing jobs to Bowen Basin.
Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham has just announced a mining lease for Fitzroy Australia Resources’ Ironbark No. 1 mine, 35 km north-east of Moranbah in north Queensland.
The project is set to run for around 20 years, bringing jobs for contractors during construction, right through to operational staff.
The greenfields underground longwall operation is expected to produce up to 6 million tonnes per annum run of mine coal. Most of this will be low-ash hard coking coal for steel production, with first coal scheduled from the first quarter of 2020.
Fitzroy Australia Resources acquired Ironbark No.1, neighbouring Carborough Downs mine and the Broadlea project from Brazilian mining giant Vale in November 2016. Ironbark will share major infrastructure with Carborough Downs.
Fitzroy Australia Resources chief executive officer Grant Polwarth said he was excited to have reached this major milestone in the growth story of the company.
“This approval allows us to pursue our vision for the expansion of Fitzroy, providing opportunities to our existing workforce, the local community and the region more broadly,” Mr Polwarth said.
This underground metallurgical coal mine will share major infrastructure with the company’s existing Carborough Downs Mine, making it a low impact development.
“Ironbark No. 1 will be a modern and innovative underground operation,” Mr Polwarth said.
“At Fitzroy, we pride ourselves on being a people business that mines coal, and the construction of Ironbark No.1 will see that vision continued.”
Fitzroy’s assets include some 98,000 hectares of tenement holding in the world class central Bowen Basin for metallurgical coal.
“Ironbark No. 1 is the first new development in realising the potential of this significant portfolio,” he said.
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