fbpx
Wikipedia

Coal in Australia

March 03, 2023

Coal is mined in every state of Australia. The largest black coal resources occur in Queensland and New South Wales.[1] About 70% of coal mined in Australia is exported, mostly to eastern Asia,[2] and of the balance most is used in electricity generation. In 2019-20 Australia exported 390 Mt of coal (177 Mt metallurgical coal and 213 Mt thermal coal) and was the world's largest exporter of metallurgical coal and second largest exporter of thermal coal.[3]

Open cut coal mine in the Hunter valley
Premier coal mine in Western Australia, 2022
Maules Creek coal mine, 2014

Coal mining in Australia has been criticized,[4][5] due to carbon dioxide emissions during combustion. This criticism is primarily directed at thermal coal, for its connection to coal-fired power stations as a major source of carbon dioxide emissions, and the link to climate change in Australia and worldwide.[6] Coal was responsible for 30% (164 million tonnes) of Australia's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, not counting methane and export coal, in 2019.[7] Coal as a fuel was responsible for 41% (160 million tonnes) of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia in 2020.[7]

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which followed the draft report in the Garnaut Climate Change Review, placed a price on carbon emissions through a reducing cap and trade emissions trading scheme and incentivised against carbon pollution temporarily, before it was revoked in 2014. Despite a target to reduce GHG emissions Australia continues to open new coal mines.[8]

Forms of coal

Australian coal is either high-quality bituminous coal (black coal) or lower-quality lignite (brown coal).[9]

Bituminous coal is mined in Queensland and New South Wales. It is used for both domestic power generation and is exported. Mining is underground or open-cut. The coal is transported by rail to power stations or export shipping terminals.[10][11]

Lignite is mined in Victoria and South Australia,[12] and is of lower quality due to a lower thermal value largely caused by a high water content.[13] Ash content varies significantly but some Australian lignites have relatively low ash content.[14] In 2013 coal from three open cut lignite coal mines in Victoria was used for power generation.[12]

History

 
Australian Energy resources and major export ports as of 2008
 
Full-time employment in coal mining since 1984 (thousands of people)
 
Australian coal production (red) and exports (black), 1980–2012

Australian coal was first discovered in New South Wales by shipwreck survivors in August 1797, at Coalcliff, north of Wollongong. George Bass discovered coal soon afterwards in the cliffs at Newcastle off of Point Solander.[15][16] Coal exports first left Newcastle in 1799,[17] with it being mined by convicts. Shipments left for India, marking Australia's first commodity export.[18] Mining in the area was initially small scale and used in domestic heating.[19]

In Queensland, coal mining began near Ipswich in 1825.[20] The following year coal was discovered at Cape Paterson in Victoria.[20] It wasn't until the 1850s that the deposits were mined, however it wasn't enough to sustain Victorian communities.[21] Coal was discovered in Tasmania at Plunkett Point in 1833.[22] In Western Australia, the first coal deposits were discovered in 1846 at Irwin River in what is known as the Coalseam Conservation Park.[20]

By the 1900s coal had become integral to the economy as it was used in locomotives on railways and in steam mills cutting logs, and grinding wheat.[19] In New South Wales development was particularly influenced by coal during the 20th century.[23] During the 1940s Australian coal mines experienced significant strikes.[19] The 1949 Australian coal strike lasted for seven weeks. The Joint Coal Board was formed to aid in the resolution of workers' disputes. Before WWII underground mines dominated. After WWII, Australia began exporting coking coal to Japan to aid in their production of steel.[19] Exports to South Korea and Taiwan soon followed. Australia became the number one coal exporter in 1984.[24] By 1986 Australia was supplying around half of all its exports to Japan.[24] As the Bowen Basin Coalfields were developed, open-cut mines became more common.[19] From the 1980s onwards the ratio of thermal coal exported to Asia increased significantly.[19] High-grade coking coal extracted from the Illawarra region has supported a steel and steel products market with exports leaving via Port Kembla harbour.[18] An anti-coal movement is a recent historical development.[23]

Production, exports and reserves

 
Australian coal and coke quarterly exports ($Millions) since 1960

In 2016, Australia was the biggest net exporter of coal, with 32% of global exports (389 Mt out of 1,213 Mt total). It was the fourth-highest producer with 6.9% of global production (503 Mt out of 7,269 Mt total). 77% of production was exported (389 Mt out of 503 Mt total).[25]

Major export markets for Australian coal

 
Coal loading facilities at Newscastle, 1901

Australia exports the largest share of coal of any nation, at 54% of the total.[26] In 2020, exports of coal accounted for 1% of national revenue, with a total value of A$55 billion.[27]

Major Export Markets For Australian Coal (2019)[28]
Country/Area Million Tons Coking Million Tons Steaming Million Tons Total Rank % of exports
Japan 35.8 81.0 116.8 1 30.0
China 39.6 49.8 89.4 2 23.1
India 45.3 4.8 50.1 3 13.0
Other 30.3 19.5 49.8 4 12.9
Korea (ROK) 17.8 30.1 47.9 5 12.4
Taiwan 10.0 22.5 32.5 6 8.4
Total 178.8 207.7 386.5

Major coal export ports

The Port of Newcastle, New South Wales, is the world's largest and most efficient coal handling operation through its two terminals: Carrington and Kooragang. Australia has nine major coal-export ports,[29] including:

Major Australian Coal Export Ports
Port State Million Tons
2009 		Million Tons
2008
Newcastle[30] NSW 92.8 91.4
Hay Point[31] QLD 82.4 80.4
Gladstone[32] QLD 56.2 54.1
Abbot Point[31] QLD 14.4 12.5
Port Kembla[33] NSW 13.7 13.3
Brisbane[32] QLD 6.3 5.5
Total 265.8 257.2

Major coal mining companies

Main article: Coal companies of Australia

Future planned coal mining

Several new coal mines are planned for development in Australia. This includes Olive Downs mine, to be operated by Pembroke Resources, near Coppabella, Queensland.[34] In 2021, the federal government agreed to loan the project $175 million (AUS) to begin the first stages of its development.[35] In April 2022, the construction of the mine commenced. Production is expected to begin in 2023.[36]

Divestment from coal

Several mines have announced plans to wind-down operations in coal within set timeframes, alongside planned closures of coal power plants in Australia. This includes Werris Creek (2025).[37]

In 2016 Glencore announced that Tahmoor Complex would be closed by 2019. [38] However, Glencore later sold the mine to SIMEC in 2018,[39][40] who still operate it.

BHP planned to sell the Mt Arthur mine in 2022, but failed to attract a viable offer and decided to continue operations there until financial year 2030.[41]

In August 2022 BHP completed its sale of the BHP Mitsui Coal to Stanmore Resources.[42]

Banks such as Westpac have introduced restrictions on lending for new thermal coal mines, including a limit of 6300 kilocalories per kilogram for new projects.[43]

Environmental impacts

Main article: Environmental effects of coal
 
September 2019 climate strike in Tumbarumba, Australia

Both underground and open-cut mines generate significant environmental impacts, including modified topography, soil erosion, water pollution, air pollution and acid water drainage.[44] The coal industry claims that extensive rehabilitation of areas mined helps to ensure that land capability, after coal mining, meets agreed and appropriate standards.[45][46]

Coal is the principal fossil fuel used in power generation not only in Australia but in many other countries. Links between coal mining, coal burning, and climate change are being discussed widely in Australia.[47][48]

On 27 November 2006 the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales judge Justice Nicola Pain made the decision to set aside the Director-General's acceptance of the Environmental Assessment for the Anvil Hill coal mine,[49] on the grounds that it did not include a comprehensive greenhouse gas assessment, even though the proposed mining of coal was for export. However, on 7 June 2007 the planning minister for NSW Frank Sartor reversed this decision and approved the mine, attaching a list of 80 conditions to the mines operation including conservation offsets.[50]

Protests against coal

One of the first protests against coal development occurred to the south of Sydney in the early 1970s. Clutha Development wanted to build a new coal loading facility at Coalcliff.[51] Coal was to be stored in heaps along the coast. Local activist, Judy Gjedsted, organised protests which successfully ended the proposal.[51]

In November 2021, anti-coal protestors led by Blockade Australia disrupted activity at the world’s largest coal terminal, the Port of Newcastle, by abseilling from equipment and obstructing railway tracks. The protests lasted for 10 days and 17 people were arrested.[52][53]

The Carmichael mine run by Adani Group, planned since 2012 and opened in 2021, drew national and international opposition, both from climate activists and traditional owners.[54][55] In August 2019, the government extinguished 1,385 hectares of Wangan and Jaggalingou native title in order to grant Adani title to the land.[56] Protestor activity at the mine has included 40 people blocking the entrance of the mine, with two chaining themselves to a drum of reinforced concrete.[57]

Environmental regulation of coal mining

The Australian commonwealth government is responsible for making policy on off-shore exploration of coal and resources, while the governments of the states and territories are responsible for policy on onshore exploration.[58]

Commonwealth law

The main Commonwealth environmental laws potentially applicable to coal mining are the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the Clean Energy Act 2011. The EPBC Act is triggered if a proposed action is likely to have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance, for example federally listed threatened species and groundwater impacts.[59]

State laws

New South Wales

Relevant laws are mining law, land use planning law, biodiversity law and water law.

Pollution law

Coal mining requires a pollution control ('environment protection') licence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) if it exceeds the following thresholds set out in Schedule 1 of the Act: if it is mining, processing or handling of coal (including tailings and chitter) at underground mines or open cut mines and (a) it has a capacity to produce more than 500 tonnes of coal per day, or (b) it has disturbed, is disturbing or will disturb a total surface area of more than 4 hectares of land by: (i) clearing or excavating, or (ii) constructing dams, ponds, drains, roads, railways or conveyors, or (iii) storing or depositing overburden or coal (including tailings and chitter).[60]

Queensland

In March, 2020, the Queensland Resources Council introduced safety protocols to promote the health of coal mine workers amidst the international spread of COVID-19. These included improvements to social distancing of workers, disallowing visitors from the public to enter the sites and checking the temperature of workers at mine site entries.[61]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Coal". Australian government Geoscience Australia. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Coal". Government of South Australia Energy Mining. March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  3. ^ Australian Government (2020). Resources and Energy Quarterly December 2020 (PDF). pp. 15, 41, 52.
  4. ^ The Greens NSW (July 2011), . Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  5. ^ Greens Queensland. (13 April 2010). Upper Hunter Valley coal mining shows dangers for Queensland 16 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Media Release. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  6. ^ Preston, B.L. and Jones, R.N Climate Change Impacts on Australia and the Benefits of Early Action to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions 25 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. CSIRO. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b Ritchie, Hannah; Roser, Max (11 May 2020). "CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions". Our World in Data.
  8. ^ "Australia passes a law to reduce emissions, at last". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Coal". Data & Publications. Australian Government. from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Coal Geology". Science Topics. Australian Government. 15 May 2014. from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Coal transport infrastructure development". Queensland Government. 24 August 2017. from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  12. ^ a b Geoscience Australia (2013). "Coal - Geoscience Australia". Australia's Mineral Resource Assessment 2013. Australian Government. from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Lignite/ Brown Coal". Victoria State Government. Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Victoria, Australia. 4 March 2016. from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019. ...its high moisture content - which ranges from 48-70 per cent - reduces its effective energy content
  14. ^ Durie, R. "THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AUSTRALIAN COALS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS IN COAL LIQUEFACTION" (PDF). R.W. Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. (PDF) from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2019. These coals differ from the Tertiary brown coals of North America in that they have a much lower ash yield...
  15. ^ Knibbs (1910). "Non-Metallic Minerals". Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No. 3 1910. Collins Street, Melbourne: McCarron, Bird & Co. p. 515.
  16. ^ Power, Frederick (1912). "Chapter IV, New South Wales". Coalfields & Collieries of Australia. Sydney: Critchley Parker. p. 60.
  17. ^ Carabott, Mike (28 March 2022). "The historical role of coal in Australia and the National Energy Grid". Leading Edge Energy. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Mining History". NSW Minerals Council. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Quince, Annabelle (1 October 2015). "What future for coal, a crucial part of Australian history?". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Coal". Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Coal - Powering Victoria". Earth Resources. Government of Victoria. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  22. ^ "History". Coal Mining History Site. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  23. ^ a b Bosca, Hannah Della; Gillespie, Josephine (September 2018). "The coal story: Generational coal mining communities and strategies of energy transition in Australia". Energy Policy. 120: 734–740. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2018.04.032. S2CID 158491150. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  24. ^ a b Owen, A.D. (April 1988). "Australia's role as an energy exporter: Status and prospects". Energy Policy. 16 (2): 131–151. doi:10.1016/0301-4215(88)90121-8. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  25. ^ IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2017 (PDF). International Energy Agency. 2017. p. 17. (PDF) from the original on 7 July 2018.
  26. ^ "Coal Mining in Australia". PIMS Group. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  27. ^ "Climate change: Why Australia refuses to give up coal". BBC News. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  28. ^ "Coal in India 2019" (PDF). Australia Office of the Chief Economist. 2019. p. 51. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  29. ^ Minerals Council of Australia, Australia's Coal Industry - Ports and Transport
  30. ^ . Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  31. ^ a b http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/eb3e0c4a36b1d25/Pdf_port_of_abbot_point_cape_flattery.pdf[permanent dead link]
  32. ^ a b http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/eb3dff4a36695d1/Pdf_coal_metals.pdf[permanent dead link]
  33. ^ Trade & Cargo. Port Kembla Port Corporation. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  34. ^ Pembroke Resources, "Olive Downs Coking Coal Complex", accessed 13 August 2019.
  35. ^ Federal Government to loan Olive Downs coal mine project near Moranbah $175m, ABC News, 1 July 2021
  36. ^ Jessica Casey,Pembroke Resources Breaks Ground at Olive Downs, World Coal, April 8, 2022
  37. ^ "Australian coal output to remain flat in 2022, mainly due to scheduled closures". Mining Technology. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  38. ^ "Glencore to close Tahmoor coal mine". Deutsche Welle. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ Tahmoor SIMEC Group
  40. ^ Creagh, Ben (3 January 2018). "Glencore offloads Tahmoor coal mine to GFG Alliance". Australian Mining. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  41. ^ "BHP Abandons Thermal Coal Exit as Investors and Prices Shift". Bloomsberg. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  42. ^ "BHP Abandons Thermal Coal Exit as Investors and Prices Shift". Australian Mining. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  43. ^ "Westpac rules out Adani Carmichael coal loan". The Australian Financial Review. The Australian Financial Review. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  44. ^ De Valck, J., Williams, G., & Kuik, S. (2021). Does coal mining benefit local communities in the long run? A sustainability perspective on regional Queensland, Australia. Resources Policy, 71, 102009. doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.10
  45. ^ Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Coal Mining 7 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  46. ^ Lock the Gate Alliance (23 March 2016). Wright, Ian (ed.). "Free-loaders : air and water pollution from NSW coal mines". Lock the Gate Alliance. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  47. ^ (1 December 2006). Australian coal mine blocked over climate impact. New Scientist. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  48. ^ Scott Bevan (2 November 2006). "Climate concerns fuel coal mine opposition campaign". 7:30 Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  49. ^ "Australian Judge Blocks Coal Mine on Climate Grounds". Steel Guru. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  50. ^ "NSW Govt approves Anvil Hill coal mine". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  51. ^ a b Simon Leo, Brown; Craney, Anna (3 December 2020). "The Australian anti-coal campaign that took on 'the world's richest man' and won". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  52. ^ "Protesters disrupt the world's largest coal port: 'This is us responding to the climate crisis'". The Washington Post. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  53. ^ "Coal export protesters blasted by Barnaby Joyce with claims of $60 million lost in exports in past 10 days". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  54. ^ "Opponents fume as Adani celebrates first coal export from Carmichael Mine". ABC News. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  55. ^ "Adani is poised to ship its first coal – is this failure for Australia's defining climate campaign?". the Guardian. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  56. ^ "Queensland extinguishes native title over Indigenous land to make way for Adani coalmine". the Guardian. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  57. ^ "Adani protesters charged after 'chaining themselves to concrete drum'". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  58. ^ "Legislation, regulations and guidelines". 21 March 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  59. ^ "Coal and coal seam gas - Regulation". Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  60. ^ Protection Of The Environment Operations Act 1997 - Schedule 1. New South Wales Consolidated Acts. AustLII. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  61. ^ "Qld coal mining companies swing into action on COVID-19". www.miningmonthly.com. 21 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.

External links

  • "Illawarra Coal" - An unofficial history of coal mining in the Illawarra

March 03, 2023
coal, australia, coal, mined, every, state, australia, largest, black, coal, resources, occur, queensland, south, wales, about, coal, mined, australia, exported, mostly, eastern, asia, balance, most, used, electricity, generation, 2019, australia, exported, co. Coal is mined in every state of Australia The largest black coal resources occur in Queensland and New South Wales 1 About 70 of coal mined in Australia is exported mostly to eastern Asia 2 and of the balance most is used in electricity generation In 2019 20 Australia exported 390 Mt of coal 177 Mt metallurgical coal and 213 Mt thermal coal and was the world s largest exporter of metallurgical coal and second largest exporter of thermal coal 3 Open cut coal mine in the Hunter valley Premier coal mine in Western Australia 2022 Maules Creek coal mine 2014 Coal mining in Australia has been criticized 4 5 due to carbon dioxide emissions during combustion This criticism is primarily directed at thermal coal for its connection to coal fired power stations as a major source of carbon dioxide emissions and the link to climate change in Australia and worldwide 6 Coal was responsible for 30 164 million tonnes of Australia s greenhouse gas GHG emissions not counting methane and export coal in 2019 7 Coal as a fuel was responsible for 41 160 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia in 2020 7 The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which followed the draft report in the Garnaut Climate Change Review placed a price on carbon emissions through a reducing cap and trade emissions trading scheme and incentivised against carbon pollution temporarily before it was revoked in 2014 Despite a target to reduce GHG emissions Australia continues to open new coal mines 8 Contents 1 Forms of coal 2 History 3 Production exports and reserves 4 Major export markets for Australian coal 5 Major coal export ports 6 Major coal mining companies 7 Future planned coal mining 8 Divestment from coal 9 Environmental impacts 9 1 Protests against coal 10 Environmental regulation of coal mining 10 1 Commonwealth law 10 2 State laws 10 2 1 New South Wales 10 2 1 1 Pollution law 10 2 2 Queensland 11 See also 12 References 13 External linksForms of coal EditAustralian coal is either high quality bituminous coal black coal or lower quality lignite brown coal 9 Bituminous coal is mined in Queensland and New South Wales It is used for both domestic power generation and is exported Mining is underground or open cut The coal is transported by rail to power stations or export shipping terminals 10 11 Lignite is mined in Victoria and South Australia 12 and is of lower quality due to a lower thermal value largely caused by a high water content 13 Ash content varies significantly but some Australian lignites have relatively low ash content 14 In 2013 coal from three open cut lignite coal mines in Victoria was used for power generation 12 History Edit Australian Energy resources and major export ports as of 2008 update Full time employment in coal mining since 1984 thousands of people Australian coal production red and exports black 1980 2012 Australian coal was first discovered in New South Wales by shipwreck survivors in August 1797 at Coalcliff north of Wollongong George Bass discovered coal soon afterwards in the cliffs at Newcastle off of Point Solander 15 16 Coal exports first left Newcastle in 1799 17 with it being mined by convicts Shipments left for India marking Australia s first commodity export 18 Mining in the area was initially small scale and used in domestic heating 19 In Queensland coal mining began near Ipswich in 1825 20 The following year coal was discovered at Cape Paterson in Victoria 20 It wasn t until the 1850s that the deposits were mined however it wasn t enough to sustain Victorian communities 21 Coal was discovered in Tasmania at Plunkett Point in 1833 22 In Western Australia the first coal deposits were discovered in 1846 at Irwin River in what is known as the Coalseam Conservation Park 20 By the 1900s coal had become integral to the economy as it was used in locomotives on railways and in steam mills cutting logs and grinding wheat 19 In New South Wales development was particularly influenced by coal during the 20th century 23 During the 1940s Australian coal mines experienced significant strikes 19 The 1949 Australian coal strike lasted for seven weeks The Joint Coal Board was formed to aid in the resolution of workers disputes Before WWII underground mines dominated After WWII Australia began exporting coking coal to Japan to aid in their production of steel 19 Exports to South Korea and Taiwan soon followed Australia became the number one coal exporter in 1984 24 By 1986 Australia was supplying around half of all its exports to Japan 24 As the Bowen Basin Coalfields were developed open cut mines became more common 19 From the 1980s onwards the ratio of thermal coal exported to Asia increased significantly 19 High grade coking coal extracted from the Illawarra region has supported a steel and steel products market with exports leaving via Port Kembla harbour 18 An anti coal movement is a recent historical development 23 Production exports and reserves Edit Australian coal and coke quarterly exports Millions since 1960In 2016 Australia was the biggest net exporter of coal with 32 of global exports 389 Mt out of 1 213 Mt total It was the fourth highest producer with 6 9 of global production 503 Mt out of 7 269 Mt total 77 of production was exported 389 Mt out of 503 Mt total 25 Major export markets for Australian coal Edit Coal loading facilities at Newscastle 1901 Australia exports the largest share of coal of any nation at 54 of the total 26 In 2020 exports of coal accounted for 1 of national revenue with a total value of A 55 billion 27 Major Export Markets For Australian Coal 2019 28 Country Area Million Tons Coking Million Tons Steaming Million Tons Total Rank of exportsJapan 35 8 81 0 116 8 1 30 0China 39 6 49 8 89 4 2 23 1India 45 3 4 8 50 1 3 13 0Other 30 3 19 5 49 8 4 12 9Korea ROK 17 8 30 1 47 9 5 12 4Taiwan 10 0 22 5 32 5 6 8 4Total 178 8 207 7 386 5Major coal export ports EditThis section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information October 2022 The Port of Newcastle New South Wales is the world s largest and most efficient coal handling operation through its two terminals Carrington and Kooragang Australia has nine major coal export ports 29 including Major Australian Coal Export Ports Port State Million Tons 2009 Million Tons 2008Newcastle 30 NSW 92 8 91 4Hay Point 31 QLD 82 4 80 4Gladstone 32 QLD 56 2 54 1Abbot Point 31 QLD 14 4 12 5Port Kembla 33 NSW 13 7 13 3Brisbane 32 QLD 6 3 5 5Total 265 8 257 2Major coal mining companies EditMain article Coal companies of AustraliaFuture planned coal mining EditSeveral new coal mines are planned for development in Australia This includes Olive Downs mine to be operated by Pembroke Resources near Coppabella Queensland 34 In 2021 the federal government agreed to loan the project 175 million AUS to begin the first stages of its development 35 In April 2022 the construction of the mine commenced Production is expected to begin in 2023 36 Divestment from coal EditSeveral mines have announced plans to wind down operations in coal within set timeframes alongside planned closures of coal power plants in Australia This includes Werris Creek 2025 37 In 2016 Glencore announced that Tahmoor Complex would be closed by 2019 38 However Glencore later sold the mine to SIMEC in 2018 39 40 who still operate it BHP planned to sell the Mt Arthur mine in 2022 but failed to attract a viable offer and decided to continue operations there until financial year 2030 41 In August 2022 BHP completed its sale of the BHP Mitsui Coal to Stanmore Resources 42 Banks such as Westpac have introduced restrictions on lending for new thermal coal mines including a limit of 6300 kilocalories per kilogram for new projects 43 Environmental impacts EditMain article Environmental effects of coal September 2019 climate strike in Tumbarumba Australia Both underground and open cut mines generate significant environmental impacts including modified topography soil erosion water pollution air pollution and acid water drainage 44 The coal industry claims that extensive rehabilitation of areas mined helps to ensure that land capability after coal mining meets agreed and appropriate standards 45 46 Coal is the principal fossil fuel used in power generation not only in Australia but in many other countries Links between coal mining coal burning and climate change are being discussed widely in Australia 47 48 On 27 November 2006 the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales judge Justice Nicola Pain made the decision to set aside the Director General s acceptance of the Environmental Assessment for the Anvil Hill coal mine 49 on the grounds that it did not include a comprehensive greenhouse gas assessment even though the proposed mining of coal was for export However on 7 June 2007 the planning minister for NSW Frank Sartor reversed this decision and approved the mine attaching a list of 80 conditions to the mines operation including conservation offsets 50 Protests against coal Edit One of the first protests against coal development occurred to the south of Sydney in the early 1970s Clutha Development wanted to build a new coal loading facility at Coalcliff 51 Coal was to be stored in heaps along the coast Local activist Judy Gjedsted organised protests which successfully ended the proposal 51 In November 2021 anti coal protestors led by Blockade Australia disrupted activity at the world s largest coal terminal the Port of Newcastle by abseilling from equipment and obstructing railway tracks The protests lasted for 10 days and 17 people were arrested 52 53 The Carmichael mine run by Adani Group planned since 2012 and opened in 2021 drew national and international opposition both from climate activists and traditional owners 54 55 In August 2019 the government extinguished 1 385 hectares of Wangan and Jaggalingou native title in order to grant Adani title to the land 56 Protestor activity at the mine has included 40 people blocking the entrance of the mine with two chaining themselves to a drum of reinforced concrete 57 Environmental regulation of coal mining EditThis section needs to be updated The reason given is https www economist com asia 2022 09 15 australia passes a law to reduce emissions at last Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information October 2022 The Australian commonwealth government is responsible for making policy on off shore exploration of coal and resources while the governments of the states and territories are responsible for policy on onshore exploration 58 Commonwealth law Edit The main Commonwealth environmental laws potentially applicable to coal mining are the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EPBC Act and the Clean Energy Act 2011 The EPBC Act is triggered if a proposed action is likely to have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance for example federally listed threatened species and groundwater impacts 59 State laws Edit New South Wales Edit Relevant laws are mining law land use planning law biodiversity law and water law Pollution law Edit Coal mining requires a pollution control environment protection licence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 NSW if it exceeds the following thresholds set out in Schedule 1 of the Act if it is mining processing or handling of coal including tailings and chitter at underground mines or open cut mines and a it has a capacity to produce more than 500 tonnes of coal per day or b it has disturbed is disturbing or will disturb a total surface area of more than 4 hectares of land by i clearing or excavating or ii constructing dams ponds drains roads railways or conveyors or iii storing or depositing overburden or coal including tailings and chitter 60 Queensland Edit In March 2020 the Queensland Resources Council introduced safety protocols to promote the health of coal mine workers amidst the international spread of COVID 19 These included improvements to social distancing of workers disallowing visitors from the public to enter the sites and checking the temperature of workers at mine site entries 61 See also Edit Australia portalCarbon capture and storage in Australia Coal companies of Australia Coal phase out Greenhouse Mafia Hunter Valley Coal Chain List of coal fired power stations in Australia Mining in Australia Mitigation of global warming in Australia Coastal coal carrying trade of New South WalesReferences Edit Coal Australian government Geoscience Australia 29 May 2014 Retrieved 27 March 2020 Coal Government of South Australia Energy Mining March 2020 Retrieved 27 March 2020 Australian Government 2020 Resources and Energy Quarterly December 2020 PDF pp 15 41 52 The Greens NSW July 2011 Coal and Coal Seam Gas Policy Archived from the original on 5 February 2014 Retrieved 15 June 2020 Greens Queensland 13 April 2010 Upper Hunter Valley coal mining shows dangers for Queensland Archived 16 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine Media Release Retrieved 23 January 2013 Preston B L and Jones R N Climate Change Impacts on Australia and the Benefits of Early Action to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Archived 25 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine CSIRO Retrieved 23 January 2013 a b Ritchie Hannah Roser Max 11 May 2020 CO and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Our World in Data Australia passes a law to reduce emissions at last The Economist ISSN 0013 0613 Retrieved 19 October 2022 Coal Data amp Publications Australian Government Archived from the original on 4 January 2019 Retrieved 9 May 2019 Coal Geology Science Topics Australian Government 15 May 2014 Archived from the original on 25 July 2019 Retrieved 15 August 2019 Coal transport infrastructure development Queensland Government 24 August 2017 Archived from the original on 1 April 2019 Retrieved 15 August 2019 a b Geoscience Australia 2013 Coal Geoscience Australia Australia s Mineral Resource Assessment 2013 Australian Government Archived from the original on 1 March 2018 Retrieved 18 September 2018 Lignite Brown Coal Victoria State Government Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions Victoria Australia 4 March 2016 Archived from the original on 6 July 2018 Retrieved 8 January 2019 its high moisture content which ranges from 48 70 per cent reduces its effective energy content Durie R THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AUSTRALIAN COALS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS IN COAL LIQUEFACTION PDF R W Miller amp Co Pty Ltd Archived PDF from the original on 28 April 2017 Retrieved 8 January 2019 These coals differ from the Tertiary brown coals of North America in that they have a much lower ash yield Knibbs 1910 Non Metallic Minerals Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No 3 1910 Collins Street Melbourne McCarron Bird amp Co p 515 Power Frederick 1912 Chapter IV New South Wales Coalfields amp Collieries of Australia Sydney Critchley Parker p 60 Carabott Mike 28 March 2022 The historical role of coal in Australia and the National Energy Grid Leading Edge Energy Retrieved 17 October 2022 a b Mining History NSW Minerals Council Retrieved 17 October 2022 a b c d e f Quince Annabelle 1 October 2015 What future for coal a crucial part of Australian history ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 17 October 2022 a b c Coal Geoscience Australia Retrieved 17 October 2022 Coal Powering Victoria Earth Resources Government of Victoria 2 June 2021 Retrieved 17 October 2022 History Coal Mining History Site Retrieved 17 October 2022 a b Bosca Hannah Della Gillespie Josephine September 2018 The coal story Generational coal mining communities and strategies of energy transition in Australia Energy Policy 120 734 740 doi 10 1016 j enpol 2018 04 032 S2CID 158491150 Retrieved 17 October 2022 a b Owen A D April 1988 Australia s role as an energy exporter Status and prospects Energy Policy 16 2 131 151 doi 10 1016 0301 4215 88 90121 8 Retrieved 17 October 2022 IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2017 PDF International Energy Agency 2017 p 17 Archived PDF from the original on 7 July 2018 Coal Mining in Australia PIMS Group Retrieved 18 October 2022 Climate change Why Australia refuses to give up coal BBC News 22 October 2021 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Coal in India 2019 PDF Australia Office of the Chief Economist 2019 p 51 Retrieved 20 April 2021 Minerals Council of Australia Australia s Coal Industry Ports and Transport Archived copy Archived from the original on 6 July 2011 Retrieved 14 February 2010 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link a b http www transport qld gov au resources file eb3e0c4a36b1d25 Pdf port of abbot point cape flattery pdf permanent dead link a b http www transport qld gov au resources file eb3dff4a36695d1 Pdf coal metals pdf permanent dead link Trade amp Cargo Port Kembla Port Corporation Retrieved 23 January 2013 Pembroke Resources Olive Downs Coking Coal Complex accessed 13 August 2019 Federal Government to loan Olive Downs coal mine project near Moranbah 175m ABC News 1 July 2021 Jessica Casey Pembroke Resources Breaks Ground at Olive Downs World Coal April 8 2022 Australian coal output to remain flat in 2022 mainly due to scheduled closures Mining Technology 27 July 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Glencore to close Tahmoor coal mine Deutsche Welle 2 June 2016 Retrieved 18 October 2021 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Tahmoor SIMEC Group Creagh Ben 3 January 2018 Glencore offloads Tahmoor coal mine to GFG Alliance Australian Mining Retrieved 11 December 2018 BHP Abandons Thermal Coal Exit as Investors and Prices Shift Bloomsberg 16 June 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 BHP Abandons Thermal Coal Exit as Investors and Prices Shift Australian Mining 15 August 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Westpac rules out Adani Carmichael coal loan The Australian Financial Review The Australian Financial Review 28 April 2017 Retrieved 18 October 2022 De Valck J Williams G amp Kuik S 2021 Does coal mining benefit local communities in the long run A sustainability perspective on regional Queensland Australia Resources Policy 71 102009 doi 10 1016 j resourpol 2021 10 Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Coal Mining Archived 7 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine Lock the Gate Alliance 23 March 2016 Wright Ian ed Free loaders air and water pollution from NSW coal mines Lock the Gate Alliance Archived from the original on 14 December 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2023 1 December 2006 Australian coal mine blocked over climate impact New Scientist Retrieved 23 January 2013 Scott Bevan 2 November 2006 Climate concerns fuel coal mine opposition campaign 7 30 Report Australian Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 23 January 2013 Australian Judge Blocks Coal Mine on Climate Grounds Steel Guru 3 December 2006 Retrieved 16 August 2019 NSW Govt approves Anvil Hill coal mine ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation 7 June 2007 Retrieved 23 January 2013 a b Simon Leo Brown Craney Anna 3 December 2020 The Australian anti coal campaign that took on the world s richest man and won ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 18 October 2022 Protesters disrupt the world s largest coal port This is us responding to the climate crisis The Washington Post 17 November 2021 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Coal export protesters blasted by Barnaby Joyce with claims of 60 million lost in exports in past 10 days ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation 15 November 2021 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Opponents fume as Adani celebrates first coal export from Carmichael Mine ABC News 29 December 2021 Retrieved 11 November 2022 Adani is poised to ship its first coal is this failure for Australia s defining climate campaign the Guardian 17 December 2021 Retrieved 11 November 2022 Queensland extinguishes native title over Indigenous land to make way for Adani coalmine the Guardian 31 August 2019 Retrieved 11 November 2022 Adani protesters charged after chaining themselves to concrete drum www 9news com au Retrieved 11 November 2022 Legislation regulations and guidelines 21 March 2020 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Coal and coal seam gas Regulation Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water Retrieved 18 October 2022 Protection Of The Environment Operations Act 1997 Schedule 1 New South Wales Consolidated Acts AustLII Retrieved 23 January 2013 Qld coal mining companies swing into action on COVID 19 www miningmonthly com 21 March 2020 Retrieved 23 March 2020 External links Edit Illawarra Coal An unofficial history of coal mining in the Illawarra Survey of Energy Resources 2007 for Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Coal in Australia amp oldid 1141501996, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.