Public comment open for Emerald Gregory Crinum mine expansion

Public comment has opened for a Public Environment Report as expansion plans for a Central Queensland coal mine reach the next approvals stage.

Public comment on a draft Public Environment Report for an expansion to the Sojitz Blue Gregory Crinum Mine will close in June. Picture: Steve Vit

One of Central Queensland’s coal mines could soon expand as it reaches the next phase of the approvals process.

Invitation for public comment is open for a Public Environment Report for the proposed expansion to the Sojitz Blue Gregory Crinum mine near Emerald.

An application to expand the mine’s operation, within in mining licence area, was first lodged with the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in late 2021.

According to the plans the company plans to continue the Gregory Crinum Mine to an area, known as ‘M-Block’, located directly east of the existing mining area.

In February last year it was decided the expansion would require further assessment under the EPBC Act as it had “the potential to have significant impact” some “threatened species and communities” and a water resource.

On that same day it was decided the expansion would need to be assessed by a Public Environment Report.

The proposed works on M Block will involve using open-cut mining methods in the first three years, with underground access to be established from the highwall.

M-Block is a total area of 2441.3 hectares with the total impact area of the expansion to be 1710.5ha, which will include 296.4ha of open cut and 1414.1ha of underground mining.

Gregory Crinum Mine already has substantial established mining infrastructure that will be used for operations at M-Block including rail loading facilities, coal handling and processing, tailings dams and workshops.

“The use of this existing infrastructure will keep the overall surface disturbance at M-Block to a minimum,” the PER document says.

Gregory Crinum mine employs about 400 people, mostly from the Emerald region.

Public comment on the PER will remain open until June 9, 2023.

It’s been a busy few weeks for mining projects in Central Queensland.

On May 11 Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek indicated the Bowen Coking Coal’s Isaac River mine would get the green light, the first new coal mine to be approved by Labor since coming into power.

On Monday new images were released of the construction progress at the Pembroke Olive Downs mine between Moranbah and Dysart.

Originally published as Public comment open for Emerald Gregory Crinum mine expansion