WATCH: Incredible drone fly-through of huge Qld mine operation

Stunning footage shot over two days using multiple drones has captured the magnitude of producing steelmaking coal in Queensland.

Stunning footage shot over two days using multiple drones has captured the magnitude of producing steelmaking coal in Queensland.

The footage features a first person view (FPV) drone fly-through of an open cut coal operation in the Bowen Basin, south west of Mackay, following the process from pit through to train load-out.

The project involved a number of teams and required several months of preparation, including completion of site-specific training and assessments in line with operator Anglo American’s safety standards.

The specialist FPV pilot built a custom computer simulation environment to refine pilot skills and build familiarity with operating in a mining context.

Capcoal general manager George Karooz said people working in mining every day could easily become “immune to the size and scale of what we do”.

A drone fly-through of an Anglo American open cut coal operation in the Bowen Basin.

“But this footage uniquely captures the complexity and magnitude of the journey to produce high-quality steelmaking coal in the Bowen Basin.

“Steelmaking coal is a critical ingredient in creating the steel that underpins much of modern life – from infrastructure like bridges and buildings to the wind turbines and solar farms that will power our low carbon future.

“We use draglines with 100m booms, shovels, dozers and haul trucks – all huge pieces of equipment – to extract coal from our open cut pits.

Capcoal general manager George Karooz: “We use draglines with 100m booms, shovels, dozers and haul trucks – all huge pieces of equipment.’’

“This vision takes you inside the mining process like never before as we zoom under haul trucks, dart around shovels and dive through a Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP).

“It represents one of the earliest uses of FPV (first person view) drone technology to provide a seamless, immersive perspective of the coal journey, delivering insights rarely captured within the industry in Australia.

A drone fly-through of an Anglo American open cut coal operation in the Bowen Basin.

“Behind that incredible footage is a world-class team of operators and engineers working with precision and pride at Capcoal near Middlemount.”

Coal Handling and Processing Plant (CHPP) manager Clinton Vanderkruk said each steel mill required a different blend of characteristics such as ash content, moisture and coking properties.

The Lake Lindsay mine site in Anglo American’s Capcoal operation.

“We use advanced technology to separate coal by density and remove any impurities. Once the coal is washed, it’s stockpiled according to quality grades and customer orders.

“From there, it’s loaded on trains for transport to Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, just south of Mackay, and RG Tanna Coal Terminal, at Gladstone, before going on to steel mills around the world.”

A drone fly-through of an Anglo American open cut coal operation in the Bowen Basin.

Anglo American’s Australian operations are the world’s third largest exporter of steelmaking coal with customers throughout Asia, Europe and South America.

Capcoal operations include Lake Lindsay Mine, Oak Park Mine and the CHPP at German Creek.

Anglo American's Capcoal Coal Handling Preparation Plant.

Open cut coal mining began at German Creek Mine in late 1981 and underground mining began at Southern Collery in 1988. Open cut mining moved to Capcoal’s Oak Park lease in 2004 and Lake Lindsay in 2008.

Capcoal mine employs 821 employees and embedded contractors.

The Capcoal Complex (including neighbouring Aquila Mine) produces about 7 million tonnes of steelmaking coal annually.

Originally published as WATCH: Incredible drone fly-through of huge Qld mine operation