The Queensland Resources Council has welcomed the $1 billion Winchester South coal project in the State's Bowen Basin reaching the next stage in the approval process.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the Winchester South project, approximately 30 kilometres south-east of Moranbah, is an open-cut metallurgical coal mine with an estimated annual production of up to 8 million tonnes of product coal for 30 years, for steel production.
"The decision by the Coordinator-General to declare Winchester South as a
''coordinated project' initiated a comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) which involves two rounds of public consultation," he said.
"This is the established process for all major projects, whether they be resources projects, renewable energy projects, tourism projects or infrastructure projects. This is a comprehensive process. It is a process projects like Carmichael Coal have been subject to and resulted in the development of a range of conditions."
"This is not a political process. It is an approval process."
"The QRC expects this process to remain free of politics, and that all projects get a 'fair go'. The treatment of Carmichael Coal since its EIS was approved by both the Queensland and Australian Governments has cast doubt on all projects."
The Winchester South project also includes:
• mine infrastructure areas including workshops and a coal handling and preparation plant
• rail loop and train load out facility
• raw water pipeline connecting to the Eungella pipeline network
• electricity transmission line from the existing power network
• on-site temporary construction accommodation camp
