Whitehaven Coal is seeking approval for a new out-of-pit-dump to support ongoing operations at its Daunia mine in Central Queensland, which employs about 720 people.

The Daunia open-pit operation has approval for a 30-year mine plan out until FY2041.

Development of the proposed mining waste dump would begin in FY2028 and it would have a life of seven years, including rehabilitation.

It will provide a dedicated area to accommodate the overburden material from open-cut mining activities within the existing mining lease areas, in line with the site’s 6.5Mtpa ROM production capacity.

It would be supported by new haul roads and two surface water dams.

The company said it had revised the planned project area to minimise impacts to threatened species habitats.

A knockback for the project was likely to reduce the overall life of the mine, meaning an earlier ramping down of the workforce and negative economic impacts on local businesses in regional centres such as Moranbah and Mackay, the company stated.

The project’s referral for consideration under the EPBC Act is open for public comment until March 5.

Whitehaven has also submitted a mining lease application to cover the relevant project area.