1.2.2.1.2 New Acland Coal Mine Stage 2

New Acland Coal Mine is 14 km north-north-west of Oakey, 40 km north-west of Toowoomba and 177 km west of Brisbane. New Acland Coal Mine is currently operated by the New Hope Group. The mine is currently operating ‘Stage 2’ of its three stage plan. New Acland Coal Mine Stage 2 consists of a 64 million tonne (Mt) product coal resource within the Acland-Sabine, Waipanna and Balgowan sequences of the Walloon Coal Measures (Queensland Government EPA, 2006, p. 5). The mine currently produces approximately 5 Mt/year of thermal product coal (New Hope Group, 2012a, p. 8) using conventional truck and excavator strip mining operations (Queensland Government EPA, 2006, p. 6). Mining commenced in 2002 and reserves are forecast to be depleted by 2017 (New Hope Group, 2012a, p. 8). Approximately 10% of the New Acland mining lease area is mined at any one time while agricultural activities continue on remaining land. Land rehabilitation is continual and is assisted by the Acland Pastoral Company to ensure the former disturbed land is returned to a commercially viable agricultural state (Queensland Government EPA, 2006, p. 13; New Hope Group, 2013). New Acland Coal Mine purchases approximately 5500 ML of recycled water per year from Toowoomba’s Wetella Wastewater Reclamation Facility and Oakey’s Reverse-osmosis Water Treatment Plant (Queensland Government EPA, 2006; Psi-Delta, 2010, p. 127). Additionally the mine uses 1370 ML of groundwater per year (Psi-Delta, 2010, p. 127). This non-potable water is used for coal preparation and dust suppression purposes (Queensland Government EPA, 2006, p. 6). There are two coal handling and preparation plants at the mine site where thermal coal of different qualities is blended to meet product specifications. Currently, a train loading facility near Jondaryan provides the mine with access to transportation of coal to both domestic and international customers (New Hope Group, 2012b).

Last updated:
5 January 2018
Thumbnail of the Maranoa-Baloone-Condamine subregion

Product Finalisation date

2014
PRODUCT CONTENTS