Vulcan gets the environmental seal of approval

Vitrinite has been granted an environmental authority for its Vulcan Mine Complex between Moranbah and Dysart in the northern Bowen Basin. But it doesn’t have everything its own way. In her 42-page statement of reasons under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999, Environment Minister Sussan Ley said the proponent was considered a ‘competent person’. Environment Minister Sussan ley “The Environment Compliance Branch advised that an environment check … indicated that there is no adverse compliance history for the proponent or its related companies.” “Vitrinite Pty Ltd has a proven record of responsible environmental management and has not received any infringement notices. “I approved the proposed action until 31 December 2045. “This will allow sufficient time for construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed action and for the implementation of measures to protect matters of national environmental significance ...” Environmental offsets include 200 hectares of Koala habitat and 209 hectares of foraging habitat and 170 hectares of squatter pigeon habitat. No public comment was received on the proposal. Vitrinite was granted a mining lease for its new $160 million Vulcan metallurgical coal mine near Moranbah in September last year. The Vulcan Complex Project will operate for about four years initially and is expected to extract about six million tonnes of run-of-mine coal at a rate of up to 1.95 million tonnes per annum. Vitrinite Director Nicholas Williams said last year the company expected to start exporting premium low-volatility (PLV) hard coking coal from October (2021). “Mining commenced in June 2021 under our MDL (mineral development licence) approvals. Since then we have co-shipped small amounts of coal into Korean and Japanese markets,” Mr Williams said at the time. “Our Mining Lease was granted this week, so production is now ramping up to full scale rate of up to 2mtpa.” State Resources Minister Scott Stewart said then that the $160 million mine was the first mining operation for Vitrinite and showed ongoing investor confidence in Queensland’s world-class resources, infrastructure and skilled workforce. “Queensland’s resources industry has been integral to our economic recovery, operating through the pandemic and now supporting a sector record 85,000 jobs in our state,” he said. The Vulcan project, which sits between Moranbah and Dysart, already has a workforce of about 80, and this will increase to 150 in full-scale production. The mining lease approval was welcomed by the Queensland Resources Council, which said it not only paved the way for 150 full-time jobs, but for $170 million in royalties to the State Government over the next four years, and even more money through taxes and spending.

Vulcan gets the environmental seal of approval

Industry Queensland

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