The mining process at Foxleigh was a traditional truck and shovel operation with a few novel twists, Thorsen said, including throw blasting and bulk dozing.

The main seam starts 15-20m below the surface and dips at between 8-11 degrees. Due to the steeply dipping coal seam Thiess said it had adapted normal operating and mining equipment to cater to the local environment. Traditional truck and shovel operations were chosen as a low capital, cost effective method of extracting the coal. Overburden is loose and is easily excavated by digging down to depths of 10-15m at which point drilling and blasting is introduced.

Coal is washed and treated at the German Creek operation of Capricorn Coal Management Pty Ltd (Capcoal), which helped contain capital costs and improved utilisation of existing infrastructure. Haulage to the German Creek preparation plant is via a 16km haul road, also constructed by Thiess. After processing the coal is transported by train to Dalrymple Bay terminal for export.

Thorsen believes contractors offer many advantages, including an experienced, trained workforce and all the systems that would have to be introduced from scratch by an owner/operator.

To date coal cargoes have been sent to Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Korea and Japan, with 100% of the 2Mt planned output to April 2001 already tied up contractually.

“PCI technology has been around for a long time. Recent research has found semi-anthracitic high carbon coals make a better PCI coal than other coals with coking properties. They get as good, if not better, results using these coals,” Thorsen said.

“Our market edge is this very low ash product of 6.5-7.5% ash and we don’t have to sacrifice recovery to achieve that.”

Thiess executive general manager, Qld/NT/Pacific, Roger Trundle, said the company was looking forward to a long and productive relationship with CDC and the joint venture. “Thiess places great importance on working with and supporting the communities in which it operates. We are therefore committed to working with CDC and the local community to ensure long-term indigenous training and employment opportunities are realised at the Foxleigh project,” he said.

As part of a $1.6 million allocation from the joint venture for training programs the first intake of trainees have been recruited with individuals completing preliminary equipment and coal industry training.