Millennium Mine explosive blasts ahead of excavation process: Video

A four-month turnaround between acquiring and detonating has finished, with the explosion at the Bowen Basin mine a great spectacle. Watch the footage here.

A major mine has broken ground in spectacular fashion, as it prepares to create jobs for more than 230 people.

M Resources acquired the Millennium Mine in July, but the company has already actioned excavation plans at the Coppabella site after the planned explosion.

M Resources President Matthew Latimore said the quick turnaround between acquiring the site and excavation beginning was exciting.

“It was a very quick turnaround, but we’ve had great support,” he said.

“It’s a joint venture between M Resources and Stanmore Resources, and the timing is great with coal prices increasing substantially from around $100US to $399US from when we acquired the mine to today’s prices per ton.”

The depth of laid explosives was varied between two and 20 metres, with the M Mining team taking “a bit over a week” to plan the blast.

“It was a very successful, well-planned blast,” Mr Latimore said.

“The depth of explosives depended on the coal depth, they started at two metres and the drilling goes down to the coal seam, which was up to 20 metres.

“The coal is high-quality coking coal, for use in steel making around the world.”

Mr Latimore said excavations would begin almost immediately.

“We will use an excavator to load the coal into trucks and deliver it through the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal,” he said.

Cargo from the coal mine will be travelling to Europe for delivery in France, then the next two cargoes will be going to Japan.”