Blackwater South Coking Coal project

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	Greenfield metallurgical coal mine with a yield of up to 8 million tonnes of product coal per annum for approximately 90 years, for steel production.
Proponent	Whitehaven Blackwater Pty Ltd
Location/s	Approximately 50 km south-west of Blackwater, 80 km south-east Emerald. Map
Local government/s	Central Highlands Regional Council
Investment	$1 billion
Key features	open-cut metallurgical coal mine access roads rail loop and train load out facility electricity transmission line from the existing power network raw water pipeline integrated with the Blackwater Mine, sourcing water from Blackwater Mine storages and off-site via water allocations mine infrastructure areas including workshops and a coal handling and preparation plant on-site temporary construction accommodation village
Construction start date	2029
Jobs	500 - 750 (construction) 1,200 (operational)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Date	Activity
Currently	Draft EIS being prepared by proponent
30 August 2024	The Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 2 September 2026.
1 March 2023	Terms of reference for an EIS ( 805 KB)
19 November 2022 to 16 December 2022	Draft terms of reference for EIS public consultation ( 662 KB)
20 September 2022	Australian Minister for the Environment decided that the project is a ‘controlled action’. A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a 'controlled action' and requires approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).
3 May 2022	Gazettal ( 246 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
19 November 2021	Initial advice statement ( 22.3 MB), submitted.