Mine Details
Saraji
http://www.bmacoal.com
coking-black-coalmine village, DiDo
Phone:
Address:
71 Eagle Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4001
State: 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4001
Email:
The Saraji open cut black coal mine in Central Queensland's Bowen Basin is owned by BMA, a joint venture partnership between BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi Corporation. The mine is located 200 kilometres south west of Mackay and 60 kilometres south east of the mining town of Moranbah. BMA have recently awarded Perth based mining contractor, HSE Mining, a five year contract to undertake pre-stripping work at the mine.
Coal Production Commenced at the Saraji Mine in 1974
Construction of the Saraji coal mine began in 1972, coal production began two years later, in 1974. The mine produces a low-volatile metallurgical coal for the export market and at current production rates has sufficient reserves to keep the mine operating for at least another 25 years. The Sarji coal deposit extends north and south across a strike of 30 kilometres. It has a width averaging more than four kilometres. Mining strips are excavated in a perpendicular fashion towards the dip of the coal in order to maintain a consistent coal/waste stripping ratio. There are 11 coal seams existing at the Saraji coal mining operation although only two of the lower seams, the Dysart K and the Dysart have been worked to date.
Pre-striping at the Saraji Mine is Carried out by HSE Mining
Pre-stripping at the Saraji open pit mine requires the removal of 42 million bank cubic metres of overburden a year to keep ahead of the actual coal mining operation. HSE have brought in new truck and excavator fleets to carry out this task, along with 360 employees, who are accommodated in modern accommodation at the town of Dysart that is situated nearby. Contracting company Sedgman were also contracted to upgrade the Saraji coal preparation plant and this work was scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2013.
BMA is the World's Largest Suppler of Seaborne Coking Coal
BMA is Australia's leading coal miner and exporter. It is the world's largest supplier of seaborne coking coal. The partnership between BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd was established in 2001, it is an equal partnership with each partner sharing BMA on a 50/50 basis. BMA own several open pit and underground mines in the Bowen Basin as well as the Hay Point Coal Export Terminal near Mackay from where the coal produced at the Saraji mine is exported to overseas steel makers in India, the Americas, Europe, East Asia and South Asia.
Open Pit Mining More Efficient Than Underground Mining
The open cut method of coal mining requires the breaking up of coal and rock from the coal seam and taking it to to the coal handling processing plant where it is crushed and washed. Open cut mining, although leaving a large open pit in the ground in the short term, is regarded as being far more efficient than underground mining. The open pit is rehabilitated once it is mined out and returned to resemble its natural state, as closely as possible, for ongoing generations to continue to enjoy.
The coking coal that is mined at the Saraji open pit coal mine is used primarily in the production of steel and is able to be produced at the rate of over six million tonnes a year. The coal is mined from the coal seam at the Saraji coal mine by means of a hydraulic excavator, two front end loaders and eight 160 tonnes coal haulers.
