In Australia, Anglo American's Metallurgical Coal business has access to more than 100 years of coal resources. Growth is pursued through an attractive multi-billion dollar project pipeline, consolidating our presence in the country, creating more jobs in Queensland and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, and delivering our Met Coal strategy to triple production by 2020.
Our Australian growth projects include two underground longwall mines in Queensland, Grosvenor and Moranbah South, an open-cut mine at Drayton South and we are currently exploring options for Dartbrook.
Our attractive multi-billion dollar project pipeline will create additional jobs and deliver maximum value from available resources.
Grosvenor
The Grosvenor project is a $AUS1.7 billion growth project planned for Moranbah in Queensland’s northern Bowen Basin with the capacity to create up to 1,000 jobs. It involves developing a greenfield underground coal mine, producing up to seven million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal, which would be processed to produce approximately five Mtpa of coking coal for export.
We aim to develop a high-quality operation adjacent to our existing Moranbah North facility that will offer benefits to the community, the State and the people we employ, while at the same time enabling us to continue to provide our customers with the high-quality metallurgical coal our mines are renowned for.
The project site is located, approximately 190 kilometres south-west of Mackay, will use the longwall mining method to mine coal with an anticipated mine life in excess of 30 years.
Drayton South
Drayton South will be a replacement for the existing Drayton open cut mine in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. Coal produced will be predominantly mined for the export market. Drayton South will deliver continued employment for up to 500 Drayton mine employees.
The project will use existing infrastructure and machinery from Drayton mine including:
- One dragline
- Excavators
- A corresponding truck fleet
- Coal handing plant and facilities
- Bathhouse, workshop and administration building.
As the project moves to feasibility stage, a detailed socio-economic assessment has been undertaken as part of the Environmental Assessment and will include impacts on employment, local infrastructure, housing and property values.
Dartbrook Mine
Underground mining at Dartbrook, also in the Hunter Valley, ceased on January 1, 2007 and the mine is now under Care and Maintenance. Exploration and conceptual studies are currently progressing to explore options for these resources using the existing infrastructure.
Moranbah South
Moranbah South is a joint venture between Anglo American (50%) and Exxaro (50%), located in Central Queensland, south of our Grosvenor project. The resource consists of high quality coking coal. Exploration and conceptual studies are in progress. As the project moves to feasibility stage, a detailed socio-economic will be undertaken as a part of the Enviornment Assessment.
Foxleigh Plains
In 2010, we released the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Terms of Reference (TOR) for Foxleigh Plains, an expansion project extending the operating life of the existing Foxleigh mine by up to 15 years. An Environmental Impact statement continues for Foxleigh Plains.
The Foxleigh Plains Project, located approximately 12 kilometres south east of Middlemount within Queensland’s Bowen Basin, would increase Run of Mine (ROM) production at our existing Foxleigh mine from 2.6 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to up to four Mtpa.