The mine will utilise an open cut mining technique where strips and blocks will be mined in succession, thus allowing waste from one strip or block to be dumped into a previously mined out area. Waste from an initial strip or boxcut will be dumped into an out of pit dump (ex-pit spoil) to the west of the pit area.
Under the BFS mine planning scenario, the initial Isaac Downs box cut will be established where the coal seam is close to the surface topography using an excavator and truck operation at low strip ratios. Subsequently, the dragline will be ‘walked’ from Isaac Plains to Isaac Downs and a standard Bowen Basin dragline operation will be established from north to south, supported by excavator and truck pre-strip operations.
A series of mine stage plans has been developed for the Project, showing the progression of mining activities at each stage. These stage plans have underpinned the assessment and management of Project impacts during and post operations. The Project open cut mining will involve the following activities:
- clearing of any vegetation;
- stripping and stockpiling of topsoil;
- drilling and blasting of pre-strip overburden;
- removing the pre-strip overburden using truck and shovel fleets and/or dozers;
- drilling and blasting of overburden;
- overburden removal by dragline;
- coal mining using excavators;
- progressive rehabilitation of overburden emplacement areas.
The coal will be ........
