Alpha North, which would be bigger than Adani’s Carmichael mine, to be examined under federal environment laws

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A proposal by the millionaire former MP Clive Palmer to develop the biggest open-cut coalmine in the southern hemisphere in Queensland will be scrutinised by the federal environment department, including its impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

The federal government announced late on Monday it intended to fully assess the Alpha North project under federal environmental laws and would require detailed assessments on the impact on the reef, world heritage properties, threatened species, migratory birds and several other matters.



Palmer’s company Waratah Coal has announced plans for the new mine in the Galilee basin, adjoining Adani’s proposed Carmichael project. The footprint of Alpha North would be nearly triple that Adani’s mine. It would be 144,000 hectares and 130km long and would use open-cut and underground methods.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Alpha North mining lease application area. Photograph: Waratah Coal

Environment groups had been hoping the department would reject Palmer’s application outright because it failed to include other aspects of the project, including a proposal to build a rail line if Adani does not build one and a possible expansion of the Abbot Point coal loader.



They had also argued that the massive mine would contribute significantly to climate change and exacerbate coral bleaching events that have damaged the reef last year.

The mine would produce 80m tonnes of coal a year and is expected to start operations in 2030.



The project will now go through a full assessment process. Waratah has so far relied on work done by the Adani Group to assess environmental impacts. It had not directly addressed potential impacts on the reef or world heritage areas.

The move to take the project forward opens a new battleground with the environmental movement that has campaigned to block the Adani project.

“In choosing to refer the decision on this massive new coalmine, Minister Frydenberg has missed an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership on protecting our natural world and stopping climate damage,” Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Christian Slattery said.

Slattery said Frydenberg should have rejected Waratah Coal’s application in the first instance.

“It is good that Waratah Coal will be forced to consider the impacts of its project on the Great Barrier Reef. But this massive new mine will clearly cause unacceptable damage to our reef because digging up and burning the coal will accelerate climate change.



“The age of coal is over. It is time that our elected representatives stopped paving the way for new dirty coal mines and embraced clean energy.”

Waratah Coal has been contacted for comment.