The company’s environmental impact statement for the new coal mine near Moranbah has been approved by Queensland Coordinator-General Colin Jensen.

The mine is expected to produce 4 million tonnes per annum of high-quality coking coal over 21 years.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2010 and operations will start in 2011.

Queensland Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the project would create about 450 construction jobs and the mine would have a peak operational workforce of 300.

The mine is being developed on existing mining leases and will share some services with the adjacent BHP Mitsui Poitrel mine, including site offices, workshops, storage areas, communications and car parking.

The mine is subject to conditions covering dust and water releases, groundwater monitoring, noise and vibration, spoil disposal, rehabilitation, community liaison, road upgrades and the provision of about 20 hectares of offset for vegetation to be cleared at the minesite.

Up to 90% of the construction workforce is expected to be accommodated at an existing accommodation village at Coppabella, 20 kilometres from the mine.

The remaining 10% will be employed directly by BMA and will be housed locally, most likely in Moranbah.

Up to 70% of the operational workforce will be housed at Coppabella.

Hinchliffe said the Daunia project was the first component of the Bowen Basin coal growth project.

“The other two mine components are Caval Ridge mine, a new open cut mine and associated infrastructure to produce up to 5.5 million tonnes per annum of coal; and Goonyella-Riverside mine, an expansion of the existing open cut and underground mining operations to produce up to 9.5 million tonnes per annum of coal,” he said.

“The fourth component is the planned construction of a new airport to replace the existing Moranbah airport facility, to accommodate increased travel to and from the area and to provide a wider range of transport options for the larger workforce associated with the BBCG project’s expanded operations.”

The Coordinator-General will require a social impact management plan from BMA when it reports to him on the Caval Ridge and subsequent Bowen Basin coal growth projects, in accordance with the intent of the Sustainable Resource Communities policy.