Olive Downs North mine

Olive Downs North mine is a project proposed by Macarthur Coal. The project, which is located 30 km south of Coppabella, is currently the subject of a feasibility study. The company states that the mine would prodcue "coking coal, low volatile PCI coal and high energy thermal coal".

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics reports that the project has a notional commissioning date of 2011 and is slated to produce 1 million tonnes per annum.

Development plans
In its 2008 Annual Report, Macarthur Coal stated that "following granting of the ML [mining licence] it is anticipated that mining will begin in late 2009".

The company also stated in its annual report that "approvals for the mine are progressing with the Land and Resources Tribunal recommending in July 2007 that the Minister for Mines and Energy grant the two mining leases required for the development to proceed. Commencement of mining at Olive Downs North is to be coordinated with the expansion of the existing Moorvale operation. It is planned that as the transition is made to owner operator at the existing Moorvale operation, the current Leighton Contractors workforce will commence work on the initial box-cut at Olive Downs North. The project will be operated as a satellite pit to Moorvale Mine at up to 1Mtpa ROM coal. The ROM coal will be prepared at the Moorvale CHPP and railed to DBCT for shipping."

In the section of its website on exploration projects, Macarthur coal states that "A mining lease application has been lodged over the initial open-cut mine area."

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