1.2.3.1.14 Hyde Park Coal Project

Resolve Coal Pty Ltd (Resolve Coal) has identified an approximately 1.7 billion tonne thermal coal resource at their Hyde Park Coal Project, near the north-eastern margin of the Galilee Basin (Figure 12). This consists of 364 Mt of indicated resources and 1330 Mt of inferred resources (reported in accordance with the JORC Code) (Resolve Coal, 2014). Although Resolve Coal have yet to apply for a mineral development licence or mining lease, an overview of the Hyde Park Coal Project is warranted here due to the significant amount of geological and resource analysis undertaken by Resolve Coal. This has included a completed mine concept study, with follow-on work now started on pre-feasibility (due third quarter of 2014) and baseline environmental studies (Resolve Coal, 2009). These are likely precursor stages to a MDL or MLA, and signify the potential for future work on an EIS given that Resolve Coal have previously indicated their plans to submit an Initial Advice Statement (IAS) to the Queensland Government (Resolve Coal, 2013).

The Hyde Park Coal Project (HPCP) occurs on EPC 1754 (Bulli Creek) and EPC 2050 (Row Creek), approximately 140 km south of Charters Towers (Figure 12). These exploration tenements are 100% owned and operated by Resolve Coal, and cover an area of 236 km2. The HPCP is close to the major new coal developments planned at China Stone and Carmichael, and this has led Resolve Coal to recently sign an agreement with Adani Mining to provide 10 Mt/year input to the planned rail link between the Carmichael mine and their loading facilities at the Port of Abbott Point (Resolve Coal, 2013). Resolve Coal is also negotiating with Macmines Austasia (China Stone Coal Project) on potential for joint infrastructure planning.

The coal seams at HPCP occur in the Late Permian Betts Creek beds of the Galilee Basin. Six coal seams (A to F), most with multiple plies, have been identified across the south-western part of Resolve Coal’s tenements. A cumulative coal thickness of about 38 m across all seams has been recovered from some exploration drillholes, with the main target coal seams (C and D) about 12 m thick in places (Resolve Coal, 2013). The strike continuity of the coal seams is greater than 18 km (north-striking), with seams dipping at low angles towards the west (Resolve Coal, 2013). The coal resource generally has a low overburden ratio, suggesting that future mining operations will be open-cut. Initial concept planning suggests the potential for at least a 30 year mine life producing ten Mt/year of high quality thermal coal for export markets.

The current resource at Hyde Park (reported in accordance with the JORC Code) is 364 Mt of indicated resource, and 1330 Mt of inferred resource (Resolve Coal, 2013). Additionally, Resolve Coal has significant exploration targets across their two tenements, estimated at a further 50 to 150 Mt in the south, and zero to 1 Gt in the north (Resolve Coal, 2013). Coal washability and yield analyses have shown that the HPCP resources are high energy, export quality coals, with coal wash yields of 70 to 80% (or more).

Last updated:
5 January 2018
Thumbnail of the Galilee subregion

Product Finalisation date

2014
PRODUCT CONTENTS

ASSESSMENT