Thiess News, Volume 1, 2000

Foxleigh A New Approach
to Coal Mine Development
Construction of the newest addition to the
Bowen Basin coal mining fraternity,
the $100M/year Foxleigh project, has
commenced, following the Government grant
in November last year of a 35-year mine lease.
Owned by the Foxleigh Joint Venture, and to be
operated by Thiess under a Life-of-Mine contract,
coal production commenced in January this year,
less than two years after the first exploration holes
were drilled.
To date, more than 50,000 tonnes of ROM coal
have been hauled from the mine to the adjacent
German Creek coal preparation and handling
plant, to successfully meet the Joint Venture’s initial
export shipment schedule. The tight deadline was
achieved through construction of over 16km of
haul road in less than 50 days.
Initially, Foxleigh will produce some 2 million
tonnes of coal per annum. However, considerable
potential exists to raise this figure to 3 million
tonnes or greater.
Due to the high quality of the Foxleigh product,
a new growth sector of the export coal market will
be targeted. One of only a handful of mines of its
kind in Australia, Foxleigh’s very low ash coal is
ideally suited to the pulverised coal injection (PCI)
process commonly used in steel making.
Export markets will include Japan, Europe
and South America.
A key initiative of Foxleigh’s operation will be the
relationship between Thiess and Joint Venture
partner, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commercial Development Corporation (CDC).
The two organisations have joined forces to
maximise training and employment opportunities
for local Aborigines and will put to good use the
$1.6M allocated by the Joint Venture for
training programs.
CDC Chairman Joseph Elu said he was impressed
with Thiess and the Joint Venture partners’
commitment to securing tangible outcomes
for Aboriginal people in the area.
“Not only will this investment provide a
commercial return for the CDC, it will also
provide a unique opportunity to maximise
Aboriginal employment and training,” he said.
In total, the project will support some 100 direct
employees who will reside in the local area, and 30
Middlemount houses have already been committed
to the project.
The Foxleigh Joint Venture comprises Queensland
company CAML Resources (60%); Itochu Coal
Resources Australia investment vehicle ICRA
Foxleigh Pty Ltd (20.6%); CDC investment
vehicle Bowen Basin Investments (16.4%);
and CAML investment vehicle Lake Lindsay
Investments (3%).
Queensland at work
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