Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dragline
|
Processing |
|
Mine Life | 2039 |
Coal mining at Bulga Coal began in 1982 when BHP was granted approval to mine coal, known as the Saxonvale Mine. Underground mining commenced at South Bulga in 1992, Beltana in 2001 and Blakefield South in 2008. Mining finished at Bulga Underground in May 2018. |
Source:
p. 1
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Australia Pty Ltd
|
12.5 %
|
Indirect
|
Saxonvale Coal Pty Ltd
|
87.5 %
|
Indirect
|
Bulga Coal Management Pty Ltd
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
The Bulga complex is managed by Bulga Coal Management (BCM) on behalf of the Bulga Joint Venture, which comprises Saxonvale Coal Pty Ltd (87.5%) and Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Australia Pty Ltd (12.5%).
Saxonvale Coal Pty Limited is 100% owned by Oakbridge Pty Limited. The ownership of Oakbridge is as follows:
- 78% Enex Oakbridge Pty Limited (ultimately 100% owned by Glencore);
- 15.2% JX Nippon Oil & Energy (Australia) Pty Limited;
- 5.0% Tomen Panama Asset Management S.A;
- 1.8% JFE Shoji Trade Corporation.
Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dragline
Summary:
Bulga Open Cut continued mining coal reserves from the Bulga Pit, Southern Extension Pit and East Pit. In the Bulga and Southern Extension Pits, mining progressed in a westerly direction. Overburden was placed mainly in the Noise and Visual Bund and in-pit dumps.
Mining in the East Pit continued progressing to the south. Overburden from the East Pit was mostly placed in the Eastern Emplacement Area dump, with some placed in the Noise and Visual Bund.
Overburden was stripped using a dragline and a truck/shovel fleet. Coal was mined by a fleet of excavators and trucks. ROM coal was transported by dump truck via an overpass on Broke Road to the ROM coal hopper.
Source:
Summary:
Once mined, the coal is transported to the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant where the minor waste component, usually clay or sandstone, is washed away. The waste is either disposed into tailings dams or thickened and co-disposed in the overburden dumps.
The coal is broken down to particles of less than 125 millimetres in a crusher and then washed, screened, rinsed and dewatered.
The product coal handling facilities include dual product conveying systems from the plant out to the stockpiles.
The CHPP can produce two streams of product coal; semi-soft coking coal and thermal coal.
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Coal (M/T)
|
t
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | 5,765,427 | 5,621,517 | 6,550,673 |
All production numbers are expressed as clean coal.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Waste
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 54,970,641 bcm | 54,067,939 bcm |
Coal tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 8,954,709 t of ROM coal | 9,458,505 t of ROM coal |
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Reserves at December 31, 2019:
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Marketable Coal |
Proven
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
60 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
35 Mt
|
Proven
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
70 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
50 Mt
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
65 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
40 Mt
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
24 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
17 Mt
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
125 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
75 Mt
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
94 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
67 Mt
|
Measured
|
|
990 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Indicated
|
|
560 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Inferred
|
|
1,300 Mt
|
Coal (thermal)
|
|
Aerial view:
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