The Wandoan Coal Project is a joint venture between Glencore Coal Queensland Pty Limited, ICRA Wandoan Pty Ltd and Sumisho Coal Australia Pty Ltd. In 2007, the joint venture applied for mining leases over an area of approximately 32,000 hectares, immediately west of the township of Wandoan in Queensland’s Surat Basin, 400 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.
The proposed open-cut coal mine will use a combination of truck and excavator, dozer and dragline mining equipment. Infrastructure for the project includes a coal-handling and preparation plant, workshops, fuel and wash-down facilities, offices, water management infrastructure, overland conveyors, raw coal dump stations, product stockpiles, heavy vehicle haul roads, rail spur, bulk raw water supply and bulk power supply. Other components include an accommodation village (for construction and operations workers), potable water and sewage treatment upgrades in the Wandoan township, air transport options, road realignments and upgrades, and waste management options.
Early Involvement
WSP produced the feasibility and environmental impact assessment studies for the Wandoan Coal Project. We began this work in 2007 with a pre-feasibility study and further delivered the feasibility study for various project-related infrastructure.
Our studies included design and costing of:
- The mine access road
- Local road relocations
- Civil works associated with haul roads
- Mine infrastructure area (MIA)
- Materials-handling systems
- Rail spur
- MIA services including water and sewerage distribution
- Site water management systems
- Site power and distribution
- Construction communications
We produced both the environmental impact statement (EIS) and the Supplementary EIS for the project. The EIS incorporated a range of studies in response to the terms of reference approved by the Queensland Government. These included studies of:
- Ecological
- Air, noise, vibration
- Climate
- Water
- Soils/geology
- Rehabilitation
- Cultural heritage
- Waste management
- Transport
- Social and economic impacts.
Stakeholder Engagement
Our team played a major role in the development and implementation of land owner and community engagement plans. Together with the client’s personnel, our team met with land owners affected by the proposed mine, and with land owners potentially affected by associated off-site infrastructure, including two coal seam gas water supply pipeline options and a proposed gas supply pipeline to the site.
Key Achievements
The Wandoan Coal Project has environmental approvals from both the Queensland and Federal Governments. However, the Queensland State Government is yet to grant the Mining Leases.
In September 2013, Glencore announced the project had been put on hold and that this decision will not change with granting of the Mining Leases. Glencore continues to assess the project’s timing against the global coal market and their portfolio.
