Climate activists are alarmed at the Queensland government’s approval of a major coal mine in the state’s south-west, despite findings that the project failed to sufficiently detail emissions.

Environmental activists have raised concerns about BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s proposed Saraji East coal mine expansion in the Bowen Basin, 170 kilometres south-west of Mackay.

Saraji East would be an expansion on the Saraji Mine, which has been in operation since 1972. In 2023, it produced about 29 million tonnes of metallurgical coal.

The Queensland government has granted environmental approval for the site, but federal government approval is still required before the mine expansion can commence.

The approval followed a state government environmental impact statement report that found BHP had not adequately explained how it would reduce the project’s climate impacts.

“The proponent’s choice of a broad-brush corporate-level plan fails to sufficiently detail project emissions and abatement measures or demonstrate a hierarchy approach for reducing impacts to the greatest extent practicable,” the EIS report said.

“It also fails to evaluate the availability of carbon offsets in the market and the source of carbon credits within Queensland, posing risks to the project’s viability as it does not provide certainty that the excess emissions can be offset.”

Up to 11 million tonnes of coal would be extracted from Saraji East every year. It is anticipated to produced about 110 million tonnes of product coal over a 20-year production schedule.

BHP says it will expand its production capacity in the Bowen Basin to meet current and future market demands.

But Lock the Gate Alliance Queensland coordinator Maggie Mckeown said it was “extraordinary” the proposed coal mine had received environmental approval.

“Saraji East would be a disaster for Queenslanders,” Mckeown said.

“It would drain and potentially pollute our precious water resources and destroy koala and glider habitat and generate 330 million tonnes of climate pollution.

“The climate impacts would contribute to the worsening droughts, extreme heat, fires, and storms that our communities across Queensland are already grappling with.”

Research from The Australia Institute estimates 356 million tonnes of lifetime emissions would be produced at the Saraji East site. Data from Carbon Majors, ranks BHP as Australia’s largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions and No.31 in the world.

Eleven threatened species were identified within the project site.

Last November, it was announced that the Saraji South mine in the Bowen Basin would be placed into care and maintenance, with BHP cutting 750 jobs.

“The simple fact is the Queensland coal industry is approaching a crisis point,” BHP Mitsubishi Alliance asset president Adam Lancy said last year.

BHP said in February it was facing “acute challenges” in Queensland because it was paying more in taxes and royalties than it was making in profits. It cited the state’s coal royalty regime as the main reason for the job cuts.

The state government was contacted for comment.

Republished from InQueensland