Collinsville Coal Mine
Location:
80km south-west of Bowen
Value:
$190 million pa
Client:
Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd, Itochu Coal Resources Australia Pty Ltd & Sumitomo Australia Ltd
Capabilities:
Mine Planning & Scheduling, Feasibility and Analysis
Contract Type:
Managing Contractor
Start Date:
January 1996
Duration:
1996 and ongoing
The Collinsville Open Cut Mine is located 80 kilometres south-west of Bowen in North Queensland. In 1996, Thiess entered into a Life of Mine contract with Mt Isa Mines (Mt Isa Mines was acquired by Xstrata in 2003) and
Itochu Coal Resources Australia P/L. The contract makes Thiess responsiblefor all operations at the site for the life of the mine.
Mine planning and operation is complex, requiring the blending of eight coal seams to comply with the client’s product coal specifications. Thiess’ work scope includes the operation and maintenance of the existing mine infrastructure, including a 550tph Coal Handling Preparation Plant (CHPP), administration and workshop buildings. The mining area covers approximately 2750 hectares and includes eight operational pits with 628 kilometres of coal haul roads to maintain.
The mine produces 4.5 million tonnes of product coal per annum. This is made up of coking and thermal coal. The overburden removal of 35 million bank cubic metres (BCM) per annum is performed by a combination of drilling, cast blasting, dragline operations, bulk dozing push and truck/excavator removal. The current workforce includes 350 Thiess employees and approximately 160 subcontractors.
The Collinsville Coal Project produces up to seven product coking and thermal coal types for national and international customers. Domestic customers include power generators, mineral processes and coke works.
International coal sales from the project are made to countries including China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, India and Turkey.
