The Queensland Minerals and Petroleum Review of 2002 looks at happenings within the state’s coal industry for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

 

The report found a 12% improvement in the overall productivity of underground mines in 2001-02, achieving 46.5t of saleable coal per employee shift.

 

In the mine developments and new projects round-up, Oaky North set a new Australian longwall mine production record of just over seven million tonnes ROM coal in 2001-02.

 

Work at the Grasstree development, which will be the only operating longwall on the German Creek lease by 2007, struck first coal in late 2002 via two ventilation and access shafts. Work is being completed on driving roadways to link the two shafts.

 

Kestrel was busy during the year driving main access roadways across a fault zone into the Ti-tree area.

 

The review reported RAG Australia Coal assumed full ownership of the longwall after acquiring Thiess’s 40% share.

 

In closure news, Alliance colliery ended operations in February last year and Kenmare No 2 longwall ceased production in April 2002. The report said longwall chocks originally left underground at Kenmare were retrieved in November 2002 via an open cut recovery program.

 

On an outlook front the report said in the long term need to access coal from deeper resources using underground mining methods was inevitable.

 

“This anticipated increase in underground mine development will present several challenges to the industry, including the development of mining equipment and techniques that will allow for the more complete extraction of thick (more than 5m) coal seams and operational challenges relating to sustaining or improving productivity levels while maintaining safety and health standards,” it said.