Rolleston Coal Mine lies on the western edge of the Bowen Basin in a tectonic region known as the Denison Trough, in which thick sequences of Permian and Triassic sediments are located. Deformation of the sediments is regarded as being contemporaneous, but accentuated by further movement during a mild orogeny in the late Triassic. Sedimentation continued throughout the Mesozoic, while uplift in the early Tertiary was followed by erosion and the extrusion of basalt flood volcanics. Deposition of alluvium occurred during recent geological times.

The regional stratigraphy of the area consists of the dominantly marine Lower to Upper Permian Back Creek Group (comprising in ascending order; the Cattle Creek Formation, Aldebaran Sandstone, Freitag Formation, Ingelara Formation and Catherine Sandstone, Peawaddy Formation and Black Alley Shale). This is overlain conformably by the dominantly terrestrial Upper Permian Blackwater Group (comprising in ascending order; the Burngrove Formation and the coal bearing Rangal Coal Measures which is equivalent to the Bandanna Formation in this part of the Denison trough). The Permian strata were conformably overlain by Triassic strata, however in much of the Rolleston area the Triassic sediments have been removed and a large unconformity exists between the Permian and Tertiary strata. The Tertiary consists primarily of sequences of basalt flows with some sedimentary strata developed between the basalts.

Tectonic deformation ........

There are four pits operating at the Rolleston Open Cut Coal Mine (ROC). The 2023 LoM plan, based on current approvals, estimates production will continue until 2040 at a rate of up to 16 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Production rates will decline from 2025 as strip ratios significantly increase. Discrete mining pits will commence and finish at various times throughout the mine life, with ongoing land reformation and rehabilitation planned as operational areas become available for progressive rehabilitation.

Pit areas are predominantly multi seam strip mining operations, with recovery of all coal meeting customer quality specifications. The mining strips are around 50 to 70 m wide, depending on depth and other constraints.

Mining is done by dragline, electric rope shovels, hydraulic shovel, hydraulic excavators, rear dump trucks and tracked dozers. The support fleet principally move pre-strip material, post strip material and coal.

Rolleston Coal Holdings seek approval to extend the current operation through the Spring Creek North Continuation Project (SCNCP). The SCNCP would extend the mining area of the existing ROC operation by mining north of the current Spring Creek pit on and onto the northern section

The Project will not increase the mine’s production rate or extend the life of the project. No change in the method of mining is proposed. Mining will continue to be conducted using the open cut methods, with the recovery of ........

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