Licence renewed for Kingaroy coal mine

'The project is entitled to go through a fair and robust process like any other project in this state.'

Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group's John Dalton stands near the Kingaroy mine site. Picture: Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Grou

THE mining licence for the company investigating the proposed Kingaroy coal mine has been renewed.

A Department of Natural Resources Mines and Energy employee renewed a mineral development licence held by Moreton Resources on January 17.

A DNRME spokesperson said this was a delegated power.

Moreton Resources has held this mining development licence since February 22, 2009.

"Importantly no drilling is permitted under this approval," they said.

"This project is entitled to go through a fair and robust process like any other project in this state."

Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group, who are opposed to the mine, said in a Facebook post they had previously written to the Queensland Government to request the licence was not renewed on the grounds that to do so would not be in the public interest.

"Consequently, we are currently seeking an explanation to how the application met the criteria for re-approval and how the granting of an additional three years to submit an EIS is in the public interest," KCCG said.

The group is also considering a right to information application to understand the means by which the application was approved.

Originally published as Licence renewed for Kingaroy coal mine