Overview

Mine Type	Open Pit
Status	Active
Commodities	Coal (metallurgical) Coal (thermal)
Mining Method	Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start	...
Mine Life	...
Snapshot	The Baralaba Complex includes Baralaba Central (under post mining rehabilitation), Baralaba North (in production), Baralaba South (project) and the Moura Train Loadout Facility. The Baralaba North mainly produces Ultra Low Volatile Pulverised Coal Injection (ULV PCI) product used in steel making.

Deposit type

• Sedimentary

Summary:

The Baralaba complex is located along the eastern limb of the Mimosa Syncline within the Bowen Basin. Deposition of the coal-bearing stratigraphy took place during the Permian (Age) within the Taroom Trough. Coal seams of economic interest lie within the Baralaba Coal Measures that developed during the Late Permian. The Baralaba Coal Measures are equivalent to the Rangal Coal Measures, which occur throughout most of the Bowen Basin, and the Bandanna Formation, which is present in the Denison Trough. Thickness of the coal measures ranges from about 100 m to 300 m. The coal measures are overlain by the Rewan formation, which: (1) was deposited during the Triassic, (2) is comprised of massive sandstone units that are interbedded with successions of laminated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, and (3) is barren of coal and its base marks the end of coal accumulation in the Bowen Basin. Underlying the Baralaba Coal Measures is the Gyranda formation; it has frequently been intersected in drill holes, and the seams are too high in ash to be exploited by the current mining operations.

The Baralaba Coal Measures sub-crop along a strike of 40 kilometres within the Baralaba project area, and have an overall dip of 25 to 55 degrees to the west-southwest. The coal measures have been subjected to crustal shortening, which has resulted in the generation of multiple folds and thrusts. Axes of the resulting synclines and anticlines trend southeast to northwest, and plunge to the northwest. Anticline structures prove favourable for mining, as they allow mining of the coal measures along each fold limb. Such an occurrence is evident in the Outrigger Pit, where the coal measures are exploited along both fold limbs.

There are twelve major seams and seam groups within the Baralaba Coal Measures. Operations to date have primarily exploited the Coolum and Dirty seams as they have ash contents low enough to meet current product specifications without beneficiation. The seams above the Coolum Seam are higher in ash content and would require blending or beneficiation to meet current specifications. Seam thickness differs by seam, and each seam has variable thickness across the deposit. There are some instances of washouts of plies, such as the Doubtful Lower Seam in the Fairway Pit area.

There are nine seams of interest within the coal measures in this area; these are listed below in descending stratigraphic order:
- Boyd.
- Cameron.
- Reid.
- Doubtful.
- Dawson.
- Dunstan.
- Wright.
- Coolum.
- Dirty.

Additional seams are known to occur in the area, but are of no economic importance:
- Moody – located above the Boyd Seam.
- Sub-Dunstan, located between the Dunstan and Wright seams.
- Sub-Dirty; located below the Dirty Seam.

Mining Methods

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

- subscription is required.

Production

Commodity	Units	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Coal (PCI)	t	....
Coal (metallurgical)	t		....	....	....	652,064
Coal (thermal)	t				....	186,722

Operational metrics

Metrics	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Coal tonnes mined	....	....	....	....	816,068 t

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Profile	Ref. Date
.......................	.......................		Jan 12, 2024
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Contractors	Year
......	2023