Friday, February 13, 2009

Carborough Downs Announces Expansion Project

Carborough Downs coal mine in central Queensland has announced a $330 millon expansion which will almost double its workforce.

The longwall expansion - which will boost employee numbers from about 160 to 300 - will begin next week with the arrival of 30 massive hydraulic roof supports which were manufactured in Poland and weigh up to 45 tonnes each. They will be convoyed 180km to the north Bowen Basin mine later this year after being assembled and tested at a Paget workshop.

The Carborough Downs coal mine is an underground operation 20km from Moranbah which is operated by Carborough Downs Coal Management Pty Ltd and 80 per cent owned by Vale.

Shane Summers, general manager of the project's controlling contractor Inbye Mining Services Queensland, said the Carborough Downs longwall project would increase capacity from 0.6 millon tonnes to 4.8 millon tonnes by 2011, with commissioning of the project scheduled for the second half of this year.

Carborough Downs' production of hard coking and semi hard coking coal began in August 2006.

Source: Mackay Daily Mercury

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