PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Global miner Anglo American and its South Africa-based joint venture (JV) partner, Exxaro, would likely start construction on the Moranbah South project, in Queensland, by 2014.

Documents submitted to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, showed that the project would have a peak production rate of up to 18-million tons a year run-of-mine coal, which equated to a peak volume of around 14-million tons a year of coking coal for the export market.

First longwall coal production was earmarked to start in 2017, following the construction of underground mine access and initial development works.

The Moranbah South project, in which Anglo American and Exxaro each own 50%, would have an estimated 30-year life-of-mine.

It was proposed that coal would be washed and processed on site, and would then be transported by rail for export, likely to the Abbot Point port facilities. Darymple Bay and Dundgeon Point have been identified as alternative port areas.

The JV partners have submitted an application to prepare a voluntary environmental-impact assessment to the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management.

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