Queensland Coal Inventory
Estimates of the amount of identified raw coal in situ for Queensland's coal basins were compiled in 2003 from available company information by the (then) Department of Natural Resources and Mines to assist government with strategic planning, and to assist with land and mineral tenure management for the State.
The tonnage estimates, presented in the Table below, were derived by aggregating yet-to-be-mined resources and/or reserves estimates at operating coal mines, with estimates of identified coal contained within other undeveloped coal deposits within the State. The estimates were obtained from a variety of sources and fall into two broad groups comprising:
- Estimates which have been publicly reported by companies as complying with the Australasian Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, generally referred to as JORC estimates. A copy of The JORC Code and supporting guidelines for coal can be obtained from the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy website.
- Estimates obtained from information supplied to the then Department of Natural Resources and Mines by exploration and mining companies, but not nominated as being compliant with JORC requirements. Generally, companies provide estimates within this group ('Provisional' category) to the department to comply with statutory requirements for exploration reporting. Such estimates have been prepared in accordance with accepted practice, following guidelines such as those described by Galligan & Mengel (1986).
It is important to note that the aggregated data presented in the table has been prepared from the estimates derived by these two methods. The data presented in the Table provides a guide only to the State's inventory of identified coal, and is not intended to demonstrate or imply potential commercial viability.
The individual estimates for each coal deposit or mine used in compiling the totals in the Table are on the basis of raw coal in situ, with no allowance made for potential losses from mining or beneficiation. For those operating coal mines where JORC compliant estimates were not available, tonnage estimates were reduced by subtracting raw coal mined up to 30 June 2002.
Only resources classified as Measured or Indicated category, as defined under either the JORC or the alternative guidelines, are included in the aggregated figures in the Table. Estimates of Inferred coal resources, which would add significantly to the total coal inventory tonnage, are not included in these figures.
Of the State's coal inventory as presented in the Table, Permian coals within the Bowen and Galilee basins in central Queensland account for approximately 71%, while Mesozoic coals found mainly in the Clarence-Moreton, Surat, Callide and Tarong Basins make up the remainder.
Shallow coal potentially amenable to open-cut mining makes up about 55% of the inventory, with the remaining 45% present at greater depths.
Thermal coals (including PCI coals) represent about 65% of the inventory, with the remainder being identified as coking coal. The Permian coal measures contain almost 100% of the identified coking coal resources.
Approximately 40% of the coal inventory occurs at or within close proximity to operating mines within the State.
Reference
GALLIGAN, A.G. & MENGEL, D.C., 1986: Code for reporting of identified coal resources and reserves. Queensland Government Mining Journal, 87, 201-03.
Contact information
If you have difficulty downloading any of these documents, or would like a copy sent by mail, please contact:
Project Facilitation
Department of Mines and Energy
Mineral House
41 George St
Brisbane Qld 4001
Phone: +61 7 32371540
Fax: +61 7 32371534
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last Updated 11 February 2009
Other languages