Tag: coal QLD

Image: Jorunn Lorenzen. BY ELIZABETH FABRI THE regional centre of Emerald is back on its feet, with a fresh round of coal projects crying out for workers and creating economic impetus for the Central Highlands. New infrastructure investments are also cementing the town’s future as a long-term services hub. Japanese-owned Sojitz Corporation has been instrumental in Emerald’s revival as a mining services town. Sojitz, which has operated Minerva coal mine since 2010, began first production at its Meteor Downs project (jointly owned with U&D Mining) earlier this year, which required an additional 40 employees. Then in June Sojitz made the big announcement it would purchase BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) shuttered Gregory Crinum metallurgical coal mine for $100 million, with…

Vitrinite team members with a core sample taken from their Karin deposit. Image: Vitrinite. BY ELIZABETH FABRI BOWEN Basin locals may be quick to talk down another coal boom, but there is no question confidence is returning to the region. An upturn in coal prices is boosting new exploration and development, M&A activity, mine expansions, and prompting companies to reopen shuttered operations. But can recent momentum be sustained? Optimism has returned to the coal-rich Bowen Basin in central Queensland. In late 2016 recovering coal prices signalled hope – dampened only slightly when Cyclone Debbie rocked the region in 2017. And by early this year many Bowen Basin miners were wearing a smile again. Take Anglo American; the miner made a decision…