Ironbark mine gets approval
BY ELIZABETH FABRI FITZROY Australia Resources has received the green light from the QLD Government to develop its Ironbark No. 1 coal mine in the Bowen Basin, QLD. The 6 million tonne per annum (mtpa) underground longwall coking coal project, formerly owned by Vale and known as Ellensfield, was purchased by US-backed Fitzroy Australia Resources in November 2016. With mining leases granted, the project was now scheduled to enter production in 2020, and operate for an estimated 20 years. The project would be a “low impact development”, sharing major infrastructure with Fitzroy Australia’s nearby Carborough Downs mine. Fitzroy Australia Resources chief executive Grant Polwarth said the approval enabled it to pursue its expansion in the region, and would provide ongoing…