The Vulcan South mine in central Queensland “made history” after last week becoming the first in Australia to deploy an advanced high wall mining system to extract coal with cutting-edge efficiency.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last joined Vitrinite staff and community leaders to mark the first use of the company’s HW300 Highwall Miner at its Vulcan South mine near Dysart.
Vitrinite’s Vulcan South mine is an open-cut operation that produces steelmaking coal with the mine expected to produce almost 2 million tonnes per annum of metallurgical coal and support around 450 jobs at peak in 2027.
The HW300 Highwall Miner provides access to coal seams that traditional methods cannot reach, improving operational safety, reducing production costs, and minimising land disturbance.
Vitrinite COO Michael Callan says there were only about 90 HW300 Highwall Miners in operation around the world. Last week’s implementation “marks the culmination of six years of research on the high-wall mining method, the HW300 unit, and our resource conditions”.
“The HW300 offers several key benefits for Queensland including reduced environmental impact, lower cost-efficient mining and enhanced safety and productivity,” the COO adds.
“We’re very proud to have the first dedicated unit in Australia and give this extraction method the dedicated focus it deserves.”
Minister Last says the investment in the technology is a major show of support for the government’s agenda to boost mining opportunities across Queensland.
“The HW300 Highwall Miner is a major leap forward for safety, efficiency and environmental impact reduction,” the minister says.
“It also reinforces Queensland’s reputation as a global leader in mining innovation. This investment is not only improving the productivity of the operation but is also creating skilled employment opportunities for Central Queensland.
“It is a vote of confidence in Queensland’s resources sector, and a vote of confidence in the Crisafulli Government’s agenda to support new and expanded mining opportunities across the state.”
Write to info@mining.com.au at Mining.com.au
Images: Vitrinite
