Dawson

Overview
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Dawson mine, one of Queensland’s leading export coal operations, is owned by the Moura Joint Venture, comprising Anglo Coal Australia Pty Ltd (51 %) and Mitsui Coal Holdings Pty Ltd (49 %). The mine is operated by Anglo Coal Australia.

Dawson mine produces in excess of 7 Mt of coking, soft coking and thermal coal annually using open cut and highwall mining methods. Coal is railed to the Port of Gladstone for export to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. The Dawson mine (formerly Moura mine) also has the capacity to produce 6.5 petajoules annually of coal seam methane gas, which is sold to industrial customers throughout Queensland.

Technology has been integral in the development of Dawson, starting with the introduction of Queensland’s first dragline in 1963 and continuing with modern highwall mining systems and commercial methane production.

In December 2004, Anglo American and Mitsui & Co. Ltd announced their intent to recapitalise their existing operations at Dawson and establish two additional mining operations at adjacent tenures to the current mining operations. The Dawson expansion will increase production from 7.0 Mtpa to 12.7 Mtpa of saleable coal for the export market. The expansion will also include a new coal preparation plant, additional mining equipment, a coal conveying system for transporting coal, rail load out facilities and administration buildings.

As part of the expansion, Dawson mine will be acquiring a range of new mining equipment including 32 x CAT 797B Trucks, 4 x O&K 340 Excavators, 2 P&H 4100 Electric Shovels plus a range of auxiliary support equipment.

The expansion of Dawson mine will provide new employment opportunities for in excess of 200 extra employees. To help train new employees, a significant investment in a simulator and associated conversion kits has been made. Now a new employee can experience operating a 797 rear dump truck or heavy equipment before actually working on site.

Mine

Maps:    Dawson Mine General Location Map

              Dawson Mine Local Location Map

Annual production: 7 Mt

Reserves: Currently 297 Mt, but will increase with the life expectancy of the mine to greater than 25 years.

Customers: Japan, South Korea & Taiwan

Number of Employees: Approximately 627 in 2006

Safety and environmental performance:

Safety and environment is maintained to the Australian Standards AS4801 and ISO140001.

Community

Dawson SEAT 2

Dawson has commenced work on its second community engagement program using Anglo American’s Social-Economic Assessment Toolbox (SEAT) 2 to help determine the local community’s priorities. If you would like to participate in Dawson’s SEAT process, please e-mail Nicole Turner, nicole.turner@ghd.com.au .

The Dawson operation is located in the beautiful and diversified Dawson Valley. Located only 1 to 2 hours from the east coast and major regional centres of Gladstone and Rockhampton, the Dawson Valley provides a gateway to world-renowned tourist destinations including the Great Barrier Reef, Keppel Islands and many National Parks.

The majority of Dawson employees reside in the Banana Shire, in the established towns of Moura, Biloela, Wowan, Banana and Theodore.

The Banana Shire supports numerous industries and is well serviced with public and private primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, a broad range of health care facilities and cultural and religious groups. Banana Shire also provides a variety of recreation, employment, education and lifestyle options with a range of businesses and over 350 community and sporting groups to choose from.

Anglo Coal's Dawson mine is committed to the community and contributes to improving services and facilities in the area. Recently the mine donated $300,000 towards the upgrade of the Moura Airstrip.

Attractions

The Apex Park at the Dawson River, just ten minutes out of Moura, is a popular boating, swimming and picnic area and provides great fishing opportunities to catch Barramundi, Yellow-belly and Silver Perch.

There are numerous natural and man-made attractions around Moura, including gorges, rivers and National Parks; such as Kroombit Tops, Cania Gorge, Isla Gorge and Exhibition National Parks, Mt Scoria Conservation Park; together with man-made attractions such as the SILO (Biloela’s Primary Industries exhibition), farmstays, mines and other industrial developments. Many towns in the shire have rich historical villages and museums and there are numerous 4WD trips to be taken.

Annual community festivals and events

Annual community events in Moura include the weeklong Coal and Country Festival, which culminates on Festival day the fourth Saturday in August. Dawson is a major sponsor of this festival. The Community Christmas Carnival is the first Friday in December. Market Days (including Easter and Pre-Christmas markets) are held with local craftwork and annual dance concerts produced by the local dance schools.

Climate and weather

  • Average Yearly Rainfall: 732 mm, raining an average of 63 days per year.
  • Average Summer Temperature: 32 degrees Celsius
  • Average Winter Temperature: 12 degrees Celsius

Other information