Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Winchester South Project

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
  • Coal (coking)
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe proposed Winchester South open cut metallurgical coal mine is located in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. At full capacity the mine is targeting an average ROM production of 15Mtpa to supply the international market for about 30 years.

February 2024: QLD government decision to approve the Winchester South Draft Environmental Authority received; the progressing through EPBC process.

The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) has approved the Winchester South Coal Mine Draft Environmental Authority, and the Commonwealth EPBC approval process is progressing. Objections have been received against the Winchester South Draft Environmental Approval and Mining Lease Applications and referred to Queensland Land Court. Land Court review is scheduled for July 2025.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Whitehaven Coal Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Winchester South Project is 100% owned by Winchester South Coal Operations Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Whitehaven Coal Ltd.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

Winchester South is located in Queensland near the township of Moranbah in the Central part of the Bowen Basin which contains numerous important coal producing intervals in the Permian stratigraphy. The sequences of economic interest for open cut mining include the Leichhardt seams and the Vermont Upper seam of the late Permian Rangal Coal Measures as well as the and Vermont Middle Lower seam of the Fort Cooper Coal Measure. The Goonyella Middle seams of the Moranbah Coal Measures are potential targets for underground mining. The main host-rock types of these sub-groups are sandstone, siltstone with minor stratigraphic layers of conglomerate, and tuffaceous bands.

Structurally the deposit is dominated by the north-south Winchester Syncline which has been itself affected by reverse and normal faulting.

The open cut portion (Rangal and Fort Cooper seams) of the deposit is located within the subcrops along the syncline margin.

Dimensions
The Rangal and Fort Cooper seams resources trends ~15 km northwest-southeast following the Winchester South syncline and is ~6km wide at its maximum. The seams’ depth below topography is generally less than 150 m.

The Moranbah Coal Measures resource in the south-west of the project area trends northwest southeast for ~10 km with a width of ~3 km and a depth from ~400 m to ~650 m below the topographic surface for the Moranbah Coal Measures seams.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityUnitsAvg. Annual
Coal (metallurgical & thermal) Mt 11
All production numbers are expressed as clean coal.

Operational metrics

Metrics
Reject, LOM  ....  Subscribe
ROM coal, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Annual mining capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2023 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Assumed price Coal (coking) USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Coal (thermal) USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2023 study / presentation.

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 1, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 1, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 1, 2024

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2023

Aerial view:

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