Name: Dawson mine.

Location: The Dawson mine is situated 185 km southwest of Queensland, Australia.

Controlling Company: Dawson mine is owned by the Moura Joint Venture, comprising Anglo American Metallurgical Coal (51%) and Mitsui Coal Holdings (49%). The mine is operated by Anglo American.

Brief History: The Dawson mine site has been operating since the 1960s and was the first mine to export coal to Japan in 1961. It was also the first mine to introduce draglines into its operations in 1963 and, more recently, was the first mine to commercially extract and sell methane gas in 1996.
In December 2004, Anglo American, with Mitsui & Co, announced its intent to recapitalise its existing operations at Dawson and establish two mining operations at adjacent tenures, in addition to the current mining operations. The expansion included construction of a new coal preparation plant, additional mining equipment, a coal conveying system for transporting coal, rail load-out facilities and administration buildings.

Dawson now combines three adjacent coal mining areas, stretching almost 60 km. 

Brief description: Dawson is one of Australia’s longest established mines. The mine comprises three operating pits – North, Central and South. The mining areas share common infrastructure. Dawson employs about 1 200 employees and contractors.

Mining Method: Openpit operation, using a dragline and truck-and-shovel methods.

Products: Coal.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: Production at Dawson has been from its surface operation. After blasting, primary waste stripping in the opencasts is carried out by four draglines. Primary coal-loading equipment includes wheel-loaders and bottom-dump haulers. Standard addcar highwall mining systems are used at Moura, with an inert gas generator used to provide a nonflammable atmosphere in the hole being mined. Cut coal is transported back up the hole cut by the miner in conveyor cars. The raw coal is transported to the preparation plant area, where crushing is followed by transfer to the preparation plant. The coal is then washed and railed to Gladstone, from where it is shipped.

Reserves: Total proven and probable reserves in 2011 were 163.9-million.

Resources: Total measured and indicated resources in 2011 were 441.7-million tons. Inferred resources were 103.5-million tons.

Geology/Mineralisation: Moura lies in the Baralaba Coal Measures on the south-eastern flank of the Bowen basin. The mine produces coal from Permian-age reserves, contained in five major seams that average 3.5 m to 4 m in thickness.

Prospects: The Dawson mine has an expected life-of-mine of 25 years.

Contact Person: Head of corporate affairs, John Richards.

Contact Details:
Anglo American Metallurgical Coal
Tel +61 7 3834 1333
Fax +61 7 3834 1390
Website www.angloamerican.com.au