Bowen Coking Coal said the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water intends to approve the construction and operation of the Isaac River mine in Central Queensland.

Isaac River, which was once operational, is located 28 kilometres to the east of Moranbah and will produce high quality, high yielding metallurgical coal. 

The government approval comes with environmental conditions that Bowen has accepted in full. One of the conditions is to minimise the impact on the ornamental snake, a native Bowen Basin species, with the miner to ensure it does not clear more than 25 hectares of the reptile's habitat. 

“As the Bowen Basin’s newest independent coal producer, we’re here to meet the growing demand for energy and steelmaking coal,” said Executive Chairman Nick Jorss.

“We are confident that world steel and energy demand will continue its rapid growth, driven by on-going industrialization in the developing world, and the drive for decarbonisation in the developed world.” 

Since June 2022, Bowen has mined over 1.3 million tonnes of run of mine (ROM) coal from two new mines – Bluff and Broadmeadow East – and have a third pit underway. With the imminent approval of Isaac River, the miner is in a good position to meet its vision of an annualized ROM production target of 5 million tonnes by 2024.

Sources: Bowen Coking Coal and ABC News