The Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry will begin a second round of public hearings in Brisbane tomorrow (Tues 9 March).

The Board of Inquiry was established to look into the underground explosion at Anglo American’s Grosvenor mine on 6 May last year, as well as various high-potential incidents involving methane limits exceeded in other longwall mines in the year leading up to that incident.

Four of the five injured miners were listed as critical.

There was an incident at another Anglo American mine last month which resulted in the evacuation of the Moranbah North mine.

Mining suspended at Moranbah North

Call to investigate similarities

CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland Division president Stephen Smyth has written to Resources Minister Scott Stewart about his concerns on similarities between the events.

The union is calling for the following steps to be taken: 

• Board of Inquiry terms of reference broadened to include scrutiny of Moranbah North; 
• Change to the Coal Mine Safety and Health Act so key witnesses can be compelled to give evidence to the Inquiry regardless of self-incrimination privileges; 
• Change to the Act to boost protections against reprisal and potential prosecution for workers who give evidence to the Inquiry.

Company says there is no correlation

Anglo American says there is no correlation between the incidents.

CEO of Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal business, Tyler Mitchelson, says they had begun a series of briefings to update the Queensland workforce on the investigation and re-entry process to Moranbah North.

“We immediately commenced a controlled withdrawal of our people from underground on 20 February, when we received confirmation of elevated readings of the gases that would indicate a coal heating event and require the activation of a response plan (TARP),” Mr Mitchelson says.

“Based on our review of the evidence, we do not believe an ignition has occurred, and the most likely cause of the incident was coal heating and a large goaf fall behind the longwall face. 

“This was a completely different incident to the methane ignition at Grosvenor Mine on 6 May 2020.

“Our Moranbah North team immediately took a number of steps to manage the incident, and goaf conditions normalised shortly after the incident occurred. 

“Expert technical advice is informing our risk assessment process, which is currently underway with a cross-section of the workforce, and includes a review of measures to prevent a reoccurrence.”

Anglo American gave notice on February 25 of a force majeure event in respect of Moranbah North mine metallurgical coal products.