Goonyella Riverside Mine
Goonyella Riverside Pit Operations
Goonyella Riverside is one of the largest open cut coal mines in Australia producing over 14 million tonnes of coking coal a year. The mine is located 30km north of Moranbah township and 190km south west of the Hay Point port facilities.
Goonyella Riverside mine is the northernmost of the mines operated by the BMA in the Bowen Basin. Coal is extracted primarily from the Goonyella Lower Seam, with a small proportion from the Goonyella Middle Seam which averages 8m in thickness.
Goonyella mine commenced operations in 1971 and Riverside mine was commissioned in 1983 by BHP Mitsui. In 1989, Goonyella merged operationally with the adjoining Riverside mine, and the combined operation became known as Goonyella Riverside Mine. During 2005, the existing Riverside reserves were exhausted and the mine is now wholly owned by BMA.
Coal is mined by open-cut methods using seven draglines, truck/shovel stripping fleets, and a shovel/conveyor system, for overburden removal.
Coal seams are mined using excavators, front end loaders and large capacity coal haulers. Coal is processed in two coal preparation plants before being railed to the Hay Point Coal Terminal.
Goonyella Riverside coking coals are sold to South and East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and India.
Recent Events:
- Reduced Recordable Injury Frequency Rate by 50 per cent from 10.6 to 5.
- Two innovations made the top 10 finalists in the 2008 QLD Mining Industry health and safety Innovation Awards.