Evacuation at North Goonyella Mine over gas concerns

AN EVACUATION has taken place after an area of North Goonyella Mine began registering higher gas levels than normal, according to Peabody Energy.

North Goonyella Mine. Picture: Peabody Energy

AN EVACUATION has taken place after an area of North Goonyella Mine began registering higher gas levels than normal, according to Peabody Energy.

The global coal company stated on Wednesday an area of the mine began registering higher gas levels about two and a half weeks ago, during a scheduled longwall move.

North Goonyella at Moranbah, about 200km south-west of Mackay, has also recorded "slightly elevated temperatures caused by low-level oxidation of some coal”.

"These types of events do occur from time to time in underground mines,” a statement read.

"Mine management quickly assessed the facts, took appropriate steps, removed people from underground, contacted the Queensland Mines Inspectorate and industry experts, and began mobilising resources to correct the situation,” it said.

"Steps taken have included pumping nitrogen near the face to reduce levels, with recent indications that process is yielding success with current gas levels below their peak.”

Peabody said the health and safety of its employees "is always the number one priority”.

"Our gas monitoring and safety systems are designed specifically for these types of events and detected the elevated levels of gas in a timely manner,” Peabody President (Australia) George Schuller said.

"We will continue to conduct our response efforts in a safe and sustainable way, with our employees returning underground when it is safe to do so.”

Peabody reports it is halfway through the two-month longwall move. The majority of major equipment has already transferred and 78 shields still need to be moved.

Services such as power, ventilation and normal water management activities in the mine continue, and the mine is shipping from inventories.

The longwall move, which was expected to be completed in September, is now targeted for completion in the early part of the fourth quarter.

Prior to this time, the company had been trending to the upper end of its 2018 metallurgical coal sales volume targets, and those targets have not been revised.

Peabody states it will continue to communicate progress as it occurs.

Originally published as Evacuation at North Goonyella Mine over gas concerns