Mine Details
Goonyella riverside
http://www.bhpbilliton.com
coking-black-coal, Mining Camp, DiDo
Phone:
Address:
Goonyella Rd, Moranbah, QLD, 4744
State: Goonyella Rd, Moranbah, QLD, 4744
Email:
The Goonyella open cut black coal mine in the Bowen Basin Region of Central Queensland is owned and operated by BMA, a joint partnership comprising BHP Billiton Limited and Mitsubishi Corporation.
Goonyella Mine Began Production in 1971
It is a large coking coal mine that began its life in 1971, located 30 kilometres north of the town of Moranbah. The Goonyella Mine merged with the adjacent Riverside open cut mine in 1989 but the Riverside deposit became depleted in 2005.
Goonyella is one of Seven BMA Mines in the Bowen Basin
The Goonyella Mine is one of seven BMA owned and operated mines located in the Bowen Basin making BMA the largest coal exporter in Australia and the largest supplier of seaborne coking coal in the world. The company exports more than 55 million tonnes of coal annually to over 27 countries. Goonyella is a reasonably large mine taking 30-40 minutes to drive from rnone end to the other and unlike some of the other mines its made up of rncontinuous pits not a series of small pits.
BMA Declares Force Majeure to Save Contracts due to Bad Weather
BMA declared force majeure on its Bowen Basin mines, including the Goonyella Mine, in December 2010 because of continued extremely bad weather conditions effecting its production. It repeated the same action in April 2012 when bad weather and industrial unrest once again effected its production outcome. By declaring a state of force majeure it was able to avoid repercussions for temporarily not being able to fill its contractual obligations. It had earlier posted one of the largest first half year profits in Australia's corporate history. In 2011 BMA expanded its Bowen Basin coal operations as well as increasing its port facility at the Hay point terminal.
Goonyella Mine Exported out of Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point
Coal from the Goonyella Mine is transported by rail to the coal export terminals at Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point from where it is exported to the company's customers in India, China, South Korea, Latin America and Europe.
Utah Development Began the Goonyella Mine Operations
Prior to the formation of BMA by BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi in 2000, the two companies had formally adopted a 'One Mine Plan' to maximise the mining resources that included its coal production, equipment and personnel. In 1989 the management of the Goonyella and Riverside mines was amalgamated to improve the operation of the mine although separate ownership of the project was retained. In 1984 BHP Billiton first became involved in the Goonyella Mine when it acquired Utah International's shares in both Riverside and Goonyella mines. The Riverside Mine, owned by Thiess, began operation in 1982 and in 1971 the Goonyella Mine came on stream managed by Utah Development.
Goonyella Coal Production From Overburden Removal to Bulk Carrier
The Goonyella coal mining lease has an 'in situ' coal resource of more than one billion tonnes with overburden depths from 70 to 150 metres. Drag- lines are used to remove the final 50 to 60 metres of overburden in a multi- pass operation.
Once the coal seam is exposed it is drilled and blasted. Mining is then carried out with the use of front end loaders and hydraulic shovels. Excavators are used to minimise the need for blasting. The raw coal is taken from the pit with a fleet of five CAT 784 bottom dump trucks and seven 220 tonne CAT 793 rear dump trucks. These trucks haul the coal from between 16 and 30 kilometres depending on the face being worked at the time as two or three faces are always worked on each shift to ensure blending. The coal mining fleet at Goonyella is controlled by means of a satellite tracking system.
The coal is blended at the coal preparation plant and crushed to less than 50 mm. Beneficiation separates the different grades. The whole process is continuously being monitored for quality. The final product is taken to either Dalrymple Bay or Hay Point coal terminals by an electric railway system on trains consisting of 120 wagons that can pull more than 9,000 tonnes with each load. Bulk carriers of 200,000 tonnes capacity take the coal to its final destination.
Goonyella Riverside is said to have 25 years of coal left accessible at the current rate.
