Alpha Coal Project

Project overview*

EIS status	Approved with conditions
Description	Open-cut coal mine with an initial export capacity of 30 millions tonnes per annum (mtpa), supported by new rail and port infrastructure.
Proponent	Hancock Coal Pty Ltd, Hancock Alpha West Pty Ltd and Hancock Coal Infrastructure Pty Ltd (joint proponents)
Location/s	Mine: Galilee Basin, 38 km north-west of Alpha, central Queensland Rail corridor: from the mine site to the Port of Abbot Point Port: Abbot Point (25 km north of Bowen) Map
Local government/s	Barcaldine Regional Council (mine) Barcaldine, Isaac and Whitsunday regional councils (rail corridor to Abbot Point) Whitsunday Regional Council (Port of Abbot Point)
Key features	30 mtpa open-cut coal mine 495 km railway new port facility at Abbot Point water and electricity infrastructure
Investment	Mine: $6.8 billion^ Rail: $4 billion^ #
Jobs	Mine: Up to 2,450 (construction)^ Up to 2,200 (operational)^ Rail: Up to 950 (construction)^ # Up to 90 (operational)^ #

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

^ The proponent has provided updated figures for investment and jobs since the Coordinator-General's report was issued on 29 May 2012.

# Figures for the rail component also include port infrastructure which was not assessed under this EIS process.

Common user infrastructure

The railway will be designed to transport, load and ship the coal produced by the Alpha and Kevin's Corner mines but will be capable of being expanded to accommodate additional users, subject to further assessment.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date	Activity
23 July 2014	The Coordinator-General extended the currency period for the EIS Evaluation Report from 29 May 2016 to 29 May 2018.
23 August 2012	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment's approval of 'controlled action', subject to conditions.
29 May 2012	Coordinator-General's report on EIS released. Summary of report ( 289 KB) Full report ( 2.88 MB) Additional supplementary documentation provided to the Coordinator-General by the proponent as requested.
21 November 2011 to 19 December 2011	Submitter and agency consultation on addendum to supplementary EIS.
5 September 2011 to 3 October 2011	Submitter and agency consultation on supplementary EIS (SEIS). SEIS - Introduction ( 470 KB) Complete SEIS
5 November 2010 to 20 December 2010	Public consultation on EIS. EIS - Executive summary ( 1.06 MB) Complete EIS
1 June 2009	Terms of reference for EIS ( 1.78 MB) released.
7 February 2009 to 9 March 2009	Public consultation on draft terms of reference for EIS.
13 January 2009	Project deemed a 'controlled action' by Commonwealth Minister for the Environment.
11 December 2008	Project referred to Commonwealth Minister for the Environment.
24 October 2008	Gazettal of 'significant project' declaration ( 175 KB)
18 September 2008	Application, including initial advice statement ( 766 KB), submitted.

Media releases

Alpha Coal Project given go-ahead (29 May 2012)

Last updated: 09 Nov 2021