1.2.4 Catalogue of potential resource developments

Summary

There are currently 20 thermal coal deposits defined in the geological Galilee subregion with a combined identified resource tonnage (based on publicly released coal resource data) totalling about 36 billion tonnes. Most of these resources are hosted in Permian rocks that are close to surface along the eastern basin margin, extending in an arcuate zone from the central to the northern part of the subregion (Figure 12 in Section 1.2.3). However, there are also several identified coal resources south of Blackall which are hosted in Cretaceous rocks of the Eromanga Basin, younger than most other coal resources in the Galilee subregion.

There are three coal seam gas (CSG) prospects in the basin for which contingent resources (2C and 3C) have been defined. The coal and CSG projects listed in this catalogue are considered to be those which could potentially be developed into commercially producing mines or production fields at some time in the future, for example, within the next 10 to 20 years. Further analysis of each resource project listed in this catalogue will be used to determine the most likely coal resource development pathway in the Galilee subregion. The coal resource development pathway will then be reported in the product 2.3 for the Galilee subregion (conceptual modelling).

Potential coal resource developments in the Galilee subregion are listed alphabetically in Table 13 and shown in Figure 12 of Section 1.2.3. Most of these 20 coal deposits have an identified coal resource, as defined using the terminology of the Australian national classification system for mineral resources. This means that, as a minimum requirement, there is at least an inferred resource publically available, as reported in accordance with the JORC Code (refer to Appendix 1 in GA and BREE (2013) for further information on the resource classification schemes mentioned here). In some cases, the more advanced development projects also have measured and/or indicated resource estimates, indicating that there is an increased level of geological understanding about these resources.

The deposits listed in Table 13 are considered to be those within the Galilee subregion that could potentially be developed into commercially operating mines at some stage in the future. Two of the deposits mentioned previously in this report – Carmichael East and Degulla – are included in this catalogue even though it is currently unclear if a coal resource (as reported in accordance with the JORC Code) has been estimated. An assessment of the likelihood for each of the listed resource projects to be developed into a mining operation will be undertaken during the model-data analysis stage of the Galilee bioregional assessment (component 2). This analysis work will help to determine the coal resource development pathway in the subregion, which will be reported in product 2.3 for the Galilee subregion.

The potential coal seam gas (CSG) resource developments in the Galilee subregion are listed in Table 14. These three CSG plays all have current estimates for contingent resources (2C and 3C). Thus, there are currently no CSG commercial reserves (proved, probable or possible) identified within the subregion. Similar to the coal resources, further analysis of these CSG plays in the Galilee Basin will be undertaken to determine the CSG projects to be included in the Galilee coal resource development pathway.

Table 13 Catalogue of potential coal resource developments in the Galilee subregion

Project name	Company	Longitude	Latitude	Record date^a	Material^b	Total coal resources^c (Mt)	Status of EIS^d	Notes
Alpha	GVK Hancock	146.4239°	–23.2170°	November 2010 (EIS submission)	Thermal coal	1821	EIS approved	Proposed Alpha development is in mining lease application (MLA) 70426 (lodged December 2009). Current coal resource comprises 821 Mt measured + 700 Mt indicated + 300 Mt inferred, and is mostly from the C and D coal seams. Geological and resource information in Alpha Coal Project EIS – Section 4 (Geology)
Alpha North	Waratah Coal Pty Ltd (Waratah Coal)	146.5700°	–22.7600°	2013	Thermal coal	3480	Pre-EIS	The Alpha North project is in MLA 70489 (lodged November 2012). Further mining proposal details at Waratah Coal – Alpha North Coal Project website (Waratah Coal, 2014a)
Alpha West	GVK Hancock	146.3444°	–23.2254°	August 2013 (company presentation)	Thermal coal	1800	Pre-EIS	Proposed Alpha West development is in mineral development licence (MDL) 285 (granted March 2008). Total coal resource consists of indicated + inferred. Located immediately west of Alpha, initial concept plan indicates an underground longwall mining operation
Blackall	East Energy Resources Limited	145.4164°	–24.8565°	July 2014 (ASX announcement)	Thermal coal	3445	Pre-EIS	The Blackall Coal Project is in MDL 464 (granted July 2014). Total coal resource consists of 628 Mt indicated + 2817 Mt inferred across three resource areas south of Blackall
Carmichael	Adani Mining Pty Ltd	146.3220°	–22.0180°	November 2013 (SEIS submission)	Thermal coal	10150	EIS approved	Proposed Carmichael development is in MLA 70441 (lodged November 2010, not yet granted), as well as MLA 70505 and MLA 70506 (lodged July 2013). Total coal resource consists of 1160 Mt measured, 3240 Mt indicated + 5740 Mt inferred, and is mostly in A-B and D coal seams. Resource details stated in Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project Supplementary EIS
Carmichael East	Waratah Coal	146.3747	–22.4367°	unknown	Thermal coal	unknown	Pre-EIS	Carmichael East project is in the same mining lease application area as Alpha North (MLA 70489). A resource exploration target of 9000 Mt is quoted by Waratah Coal (2014b), but there is no indication of an identified resource reported in accordance with the JORC Code
China First	Waratah Coal	146.2924°	–23.3747°	September 2011 (EIS submission)	Thermal coal	3680	EIS approved	Proposed China First development is in MLA 70454 (lodged May 2011, not yet granted). Total coal resource consists of 1975 Mt measured + 565 Mt indicated + 1140 Mt inferred. Resource details stated in Galilee Coal Project EIS (Volume 2, Chapter 1 – Project description)
China Stone	Macmines Austasia Pty Ltd	146.1594°	–21.7795°	June 2011	Thermal coal	3786	EIS in preparation	Proposed China Stone development is covered by five separate MLAs, lodged in February 2014 (not yet granted). These are MLAs 70514, 70515, 70516, 70517 and 70518. Total coal resource consists of 286 Mt indicated + 3500 Mt inferred. A significant exploration target of 9800 Mt is estimated for the entire exploration permit for coal (EPC) 987
Clyde Park	Guildford Coal Limited (Guildford Coal)	145.1500°	–20.4500°	February 2013 (ASX announcement)	Thermal coal	728	Pre-EIS	Clyde Park is in MLA 103689 (lodged December 2012, not yet granted). Total coal resource consists of 51 Mt indicated + 677 Mt inferred. There is also a 40 to 815 Mt resource exploration target in adjacent EPC 1250
Degulla	Vale Coal Exploration Pty Ltd	146.4786	–22.5436°	unknown	Thermal coal	unknown	Pre-EIS	Degulla is in EPC 1078. A production rate of 20 to 40 Mt/year has been previously estimated as possible for Degulla (Price, 2011). This suggests that the total resource may be greater than one billion tonnes of raw coal, although the identified resource tonnage is not currently publicly available
Hughenden	Guildford Coal	144.3330°	–20.3600°	February 2013 (ASX announcement)	Thermal coal	1209	Pre-EIS	The Hughenden Coal Project consists of numerous coal exploration tenements. The total resource at Hughenden reported in accordance with the JORC Code is 133 Mt indicated + 1076 Mt inferred which is from EPC 1477 and EPC 1478 (currently no MDL or MLA tenements)
Hyde Park	Resolve Coal Pty Ltd	146.2443°	–21.5431°	November 2013 (company presentation)	Thermal coal	1694	Pre-EIS	The Hyde Park Coal Project is in EPC 1754 and EPC 2050. The total resource consists of 364 Mt indicated + 1330 Mt inferred, and is mostly in A and B, and C and D coal seams
Inverness	Coalbank Ltd	145.4167°	–24.6667°	September 2012 (ASX announcement)	Thermal coal	1300	Pre-EIS	The Inverness Coal Project is in EPC 1993 and EPC 1719 (currently no MDL or MLA tenements). About 825 Mt of the total inferred resource of 1300 Mt occurs at depth of less than 50 m below surface
Kevin’s Corner	GVK Coal Developers Pty Ltd	146.4442°	–23.0528°	March 2010	Thermal coal	4269	EIS approved	Proposed Kevin’s Corner development is in MLA 70425 (lodged December 2009, not yet granted). The total coal resource consists of 229 Mt measured + 1040 Mt indicated + 3000 Mt inferred, to be mined from the A, B, C and D coal seams. Geology and resource data in Kevin’s Corner Coal Project EIS – Section 4 (Geology)
Milray	Glencore Coal Queensland Pty Ltd (Glencore)	145.6370°	–20.7464°	unknown	Thermal coal	610	Pre-EIS	Milray coal deposit is in EPC 771 (currently no MLA or MDL tenements). The total coal resource is inferred only
Pentland	Glencore	145.1986°	–20.6335°	unknown	Thermal coal	100	Pre-EIS	Pentland Coal Project is in MDL 356 (granted in September 2006). The total coal resource consists of 65 Mt measured + 15 Mt indicated + 20 Mt inferred
South Galilee	AMCI – Bandanna Energy	146.4604°	–23.7350°	October 2012 (EIS submission)	Thermal coal	1179	EIS submitted	Proposed South Galilee development is in MLA 70453 (lodged May 2011, not yet granted). The total coal resource consists of 167 Mt measured + 206 Mt indicated + 806 Mt inferred, within the D1 and D2 coal seams
South Pentland	Cockatoo Coal Pty Ltd	145.4713°	–20.7060°	September 2014	Thermal coal	445	Pre-EIS	The South Pentland Coal Project is in EPC 1486 (currently no MLA or MDL tenements). The total coal resource consists of 94 Mt indicated and 351 Mt inferred. Exploration activities at South Pentland were undertaken by Blackwood Corporation prior to corporate takeover by Cockatoo Coal in February 2014 (Cockatoo Coal, 2014)
West Pentland	New Emerald Coal Ltd (NEC)	145.3700°	–20.6110°	August 2013	Thermal coal	266	Pre-EIS	The West Pentland Coal Project is in MDL 361 (granted in January 2012) and EPC 526. The total coal resource consists of 176 Mt indicated + 90 Mt inferred, contained within 5 mineable seams. NEC is wholly owned by Linc Energy Ltd. NEC generally refer to MDL 361 as the Pentland Coal Deposit, but it is here termed West Pentland to distinguish it from the earlier named Pentland Coal Deposit owned by Glencore (situated immediately east of West Pentland in MDL 356
Yellow Jacket	Cuesta Coal Limited	146.2722°	–21.7442°	October 2013	Thermal coal	364	Pre-EIS	The Yellow Jacket Project (also known as East Galilee) occurs in EPC 1802. An inferred resource is defined, with further work planned to upgrade to an indicated resource in future. The deposit occurs east of the previously defined Galilee Basin boundary

^aThe record date is the most recent date available for updated coal resource numbers.

^bMaterials fall into one of the following four classes: thermal coal, coking coal, pulverised coal injection (PCI) and unspecified.

^cThis is calculated by summing the resources with Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) codes of measured, indicated and inferred.

^dThe status of the project within an environmental impact statement (EIS): pre-EIS, EIS in preparation, EIS submitted, EIS closed, supplementary EIS and EIS approved.

Mt – million tonnes

Table 14 Catalogue of potential coal seam gas resource developments in the Galilee subregion

Project name	Company	Longitude	Latitude	Record date^a	Contingent coal seam gas resource^b (PJ)	Status of EIS^c	Notes
EPP 813	Blue Energy Limited	145.2510°	–22.8542°	June 2011	2C resource of 43 PJ and 3C resource of 544 PJ	Pre-EIS	Resource is in part of EPP 813 in central Galilee Basin, in which there is also an identified 1142 PJ of prospective resources
Galilee Gas Project (Glenaras)	AGL Energy	144.7242°	–23.0962°	June 2011	2C resource of 259 PJ and 3C resource of 1090 PJ	Pre-EIS	Resource is in part of exploration permit for petroleum (EPP) 529, and focused on the Glenaras production pilot which has five test wells
Gunn	Comet Ridge Limited	145.8681°	–22.3671°	October 2010	2C resource of 67 PJ and 3C resource of 1870 PJ	Pre-EIS	Resource is in part of EPP 744, in which there is also an identified 597 PJ of prospective resources

^aThe record date is the most recent date for updated coal seam gas resource numbers.

^bBased on the classification scheme of the Petroleum Resource Management System of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (PRMS-SPE).

^cThe status of the project within an environmental impact statement (EIS): pre-EIS, EIS in preparation, EIS submitted, EIS closed, supplementary EIS and EIS approved.

PJ – petajoules

Last updated:

3 January 2019

1.2.4 Catalogue of potential resource developments

Product Finalisation date

Numbered headings

ASSESSMENT

PRODUCT DATA