Revealed: How long Queensland coalmines are expected to stay open

Queensland may be aiming for net-zero but there is a looming problem – and no one is quite sure how to tackle it. HAVE YOUR SAY

There will be 12 coalmines still operating after 2050 when the country is aiming to have reached net-zero emissions, released internal government correspondence has revealed.

It follows federal Resources Minister Madeleine King declaring last week that Australia will continue exporting coal and gas “as long as we need”.

Right to Information documents secured by the Australian Conservation Foundation show there will be 61 coalmines in Queensland stop operating before 2050, but there will be 12 continuing to operate, most of which will be at least partially thermal coal.

The Bravus (formerly Adani) Carmichael coalmine is one of those flagged to be going until 2071, while there are two listed as being open until 2099.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick.

ACF say it shows the state government is “walking both sides of the street” on climate, while Treasurer and acting Resources Minister Cameron Dick said there was no commercially viable way to produce steel without metallurgical coal.

A Queensland Treasury produced report released earlier this month found that there would be continued international demand for the state’s coal over the next 20 years, metallurgical coal used for producing steel more so than thermal coal used for power generation.

Coal accounts for $71.8 billion, and 70 per cent of Queensland’s resources exports.

Emails from the state’s Department of Resources from January this year, preparing information of a director-general’s workshop, highlighted the 12 coalmines expected to operate past 2050.

As well as the Carmichael mine, these included Cameby Downs, Olive Downs, South Walker Creek, Callide Complex, Eagle Downs, Wards Well, Goonyella Riverside, South Walker Creek (Bee Creek), Wandoan Stage 1 and Yarrabee mine. Eight of these are either partially or fully thermal coal mines.

The correspondence noted that this is dependent on a range of factors including coal price, rate of production and future expansions.

Australia could reach net zero by 2050 while still shipping coal offshore as exports are not counted towards a country’s emissions, but rather towards the emissions of the nation which buys and uses it.

ACF climate and energy spokesman Gavan McFadzean said the correspondence showed the Palaszczuk Government intended to continue exporting coal well beyond 2050, despite its target of reaching 70 per cent of the state’s energy needs coming renewables by 2032.

Queensland is likely to continue exporting coal beyond 2050.

“If the Palaszczuk government is serious about climate change it must stop walking both sides of the street,” Mr McFadzean said.

“Exporting Queensland coal does just as much damage to our climate as burning it here does.”

There are about 43,700 people employed in coal mining nationwide, while about 67,400 Queenslanders are employed in the mining sector more generally, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data from October.

Mr Dick said the recent Treasury report showed demand for Queensland’s metallurgical coal would increase, not go down, though he did not refer to thermal coal.

“There is currently no commercially viable way to produce steel without metallurgical coal, and Queensland produces the world’s best metallurgical coal,” Mr Dick said.

“For more than 100 years the resources sector has supported thousands of good jobs across regional Queensland. It will continue to do so for many decades to come.”