Client: Yancoal Australia
Project: Moolarben Coal Operations Underground 1 and 4 (UG1 and UG4)
Study Type: Definitive Feasibility Study UG1 and Pre-feasibility Study UG4
The DFS and PFS were produced as a sequel to the Moolarben Coal Operations Open Cut 4 DFS (Case Study 1) and commissioned in Q2 2012. Underground 1 (UG1) is located in the middle of the Moolarben Coal Complex to the north-west of OC4 and south-east of the operational open cut mine OC1. UG1 would be operated as a longwall mine, extracting the D Working Section of the Ulan Seam with an expected output of up to 4Mtpa ROM coal and an expected lifespan of just over seven years. UG4 needed to be analysed as the significant development capital had to be amortised over a long period of time.
Both studies needed to take into consideration a range of constraints when developing recommendations, namely:
- Co-commitments with OC4 (such as use of construction accommodation facilities and provision of power supply connection upgrades proposed as part of the OC4 works).
- Approval timing for Stage 2 works.
- Limited availability of structural data at the time of report publication.
- Maximisation of the residual value of UG1 infrastructure and equipment by transitioning to UG4 as a sequel mine.
The studies were completed in Q1 2013 (nine months) on time and in budget, and their scope included:
Detailed review of the project context in terms of existing (OC1) and proposed (OC4, UG1 and UG4) mines within the Moolarben Coal Complex.
- Evaluation of the regulatory framework and the approvals required to enable the mine to commence.
- Review of the quality, quantity and accessibility of the resource, including a detailed evaluation of the JORC Report.
- Engineering design (to 20-30% advancement) for plant and infrastructure to enable estimation of costs to an average ± 15% accuracy (Class 3 Estimate) for the DFS.
- Engineering design (to 5-15% advancement) for plant and infrastructure to enable estimation of costs to an average ± 30 % accuracy (Class 4 Estimate) for the PFS.
- Detailed review of:
- Underground mining operations.
- Coal handling.
- Underground, Boxcut, MIA and CHPP infrastructure.
- External and supporting infrastructure.
- Operations management.
- Market outlook and investment evaluation.
- OPEX and CAPEX estimates.
- Project Implementation Plan and Schedule.
Campbell Dynamics also coordinated the distribution of the Draft DFS and PFS to critical stakeholders, and addressed questions and feedback received from those stakeholders.
