Quick fire – industry news briefs

Whitehaven Coal has reported solid results from its Daunia and Blackwater coal mines in Central Queensland in the December quarter, including record sales volumes from Daunia. Its combined Queensland sales of produced coal hit 4.6Mt, up 28 per cent on September quarter, the company said, while managed ROM production was down 14 per cent. “We are continuing to reshape our Queensland business for long-term success, with good progress being made to deliver productivity gains and cost improvements," managing director and chief executive officer Paul Flynn said. "We expect to receive the $US1.08 billion of proceeds from the 30 per cent sell-down of Blackwater in Q3 FY25, further strengthening the balance sheet and providing an opportunity to review Whitehaven’s capital allocation at the end of FY25.” ActivEX has secured a prospective rare earth tenement about 250km south-west of Gladstone dubbed the Doonkuna project. Managing director Mark Derriman said the tenement application added further excitement to ActivEX's growing portfolio of Queensland rare earth element projects in areas with no prior REE exploration. The Doonkuna project comprises a high-priority geological target: the Westgrove Ironstone Member. DP Green Energy has won federal environmental approval to develop its Callide wind farm, about 22km north north-east of Biloela in Central Queensland. The development approved comprises up to 70 wind turbine generators with a blade length of up to 235m and a capacity of about 462MW. The predicted life of the project is about 30 years after which time the equipment will either be removed and the site reinstated or refurbished with new equipment. The Queensland Government granted development approval in September 2023. The Federal Opposition has pledged a permanent multibillion-dollar Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) under a Dutton Government. The $7 billion fund has underpinned around 20,000 jobs, but has a sunset clause of June 30, 2026, as it stands. Opposition spokeswoman for Northern Australia Senator Susan McDonald said the Coalition wanted the dedicated facility for northern Australia to be a permanent part of Australia’s economic development. “The NAIF has proved its success. That’s why the Coalition put another $2 billion into the facility ahead of the last election and successfully pressured Labor into keeping it there,” Senator McDonald said.

Quick fire – industry news briefs

Industry Queensland

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