Blair Athol coal mine

The Blair Athol Coal Mine is a coal mine located in the Bowen Basin of Central Queensland, Australia. It is located over the former site of the township of Blair Athol. The mine has coal reserves amounting to 195 million tonnes of Thermal coal, one of the largest coal reserves in Asia and the world. The mine has an annual production capacity of 12.9 million tonnes of coal.[1]

Blair Athol Coal Mine
Mine buildings at Blair Athol, 1950
Location
Queensland
CountryAustralia
Production
ProductsThermal coal
Owner
CompanyNew Emerald Coal
Year of acquisition2013

Coal was first discovered at this location in 1864 and has been mined from this area since this time by different companies.[2]

Underground mining changed to small-scale open cut mining in the 1920-1930s, the first open cut coal mine in Queensland.

In 1968, the Blair Athol coal field was taken over by two large multinationals, CRA and Clutha Development. Exploration showed that the township was over the main coal seam, resulting in the relocation of residences to the nearby town of Clermont in the mid-1970s.[3]

In 1984, the Rio Tinto company opened its main mine at this location, as a large scale open cut mine.[4] Peak production was reached in 2009 with 11.3 million tonnes of coal exported.[4] Rio Tinto Coal Australia closed the mine in August 2012 because it was nearly exhausted.[4] Blair Athol was bought by New Emerald Coal, a subsidiary of Linc Energy in 2013.

References
  1. "Bowen Basin coal mines". bowenbasin.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  2. "Brief History of the Coal Mining Industry in Queensland" (PDF). uq.edu.au. 1950. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  3. "Blair Athol". Centre for the Government of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  4. Owen Jacques (4 October 2013). "Linc Energy has bought Blair Athol Mine for $1". Daily Mercury. The Mackay Printing and Publishing Company. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  • "Blair Athol". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.

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