Longwall operations restart at Anglo American’s Moranbah North mine
Production is expected to ramp up over coming weeks after the site was evacuated in February.
Mackay
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Longwall operations have restarted at an evacuated Central Queensland mine almost a month after crews were given the green light to re-enter the site.
In a statement, Anglo American said mining operations had safely restarted at Moranbah North mine, in line with regulatory approvals.
Production is expected to ramp up over coming weeks.
Operations at the site were suspended on February 20, 2021 following a heating event in a longwall panel.
Mining development activities at Anglo's Grosvenor mine also restarted this week - more than a year after five workers were injured in an underground explosion.
CFMEU mining and energy Queensland president Stephen Smyth said the union's industry safety and health representative was reviewing Moranbah North's risk assessments for the restart of operations.
"The union still has reservations relating to the event in relation to the cause of the event and (whether) the company established the measures to control the potential of the event happening again," Mr Smyth said.
"The company needs to ensure they have the confidence and trust of the workforce on this matter.
"We are watching (Grosvenor) very carefully and have our safety representatives reviewing and participating in the process where able to."
Metallurgical coal business chief executive Tyler Mitchelson said the milestones were an important step.
"I would like to thank our workforces at Moranbah North and Grosvenor mines for their patience and dedication in actioning a range of measures to ensure a safe return to mining activities," Mr Mitchelson said.
"We will continue our ambitious program of work in the automation, remote operation and the use of data science areas to deliver on further step changes in safety improvement in underground mining."
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