Kevin’s Corner
The Kevin's Corner Project is a recognised thermal coal deposit within the Galilee Basin, Queensland, Australia. This deposit contains very large resources of thermal coal in a premium location of the Basin. Hancock Galilee Pty Ltd (HGPL), a subsidiary of Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd, has a long-standing interest in the development of the Galilee Basin, with the parent company having held coal exploration permits and investigated the Alpha region since the 1970s.
Kevin’s Corner Coal Project is adjacent to Hancock’s Alpha Coal Project and both Projects will utilise the proposed multi-user rail and port facilities. This is designed so that at a future point, it will have the potential to transport, load and ship capacity greater than the combined production level of both the Kevin’s Corner and Alpha Coal Projects.
Similarly to the Alpha Coal Project, the Kevin’s Corner deposit also lies within the late Permian Colinlea and Bandanna Formations consisting of four main thermal coal seams suitable for the global export market. The coal seams dip gently from east to west varying in thickness from five metres to eight metres, enabling high production open-cut mining and underground longwall mining.
Exploration to date has concentrated on the coal reserves with the best export marketability, with the resources to be further upgraded following additional drilling to the west. With the completion of the 2009 drilling programme, the Kevin's Corner Project was upgraded to approximately 4.3 billion tonnes of JORC (Joint Ore Reserves Committee, 2004) compliant, a significant increase to indicated and measured resources (that now includes approximately 500 drill holes). The Alpha Coal and Kevin's Corner combined resource is currently 7.9 billion tonnes of JORC compliant coal with ongoing drilling expected to increase this further. The Kevin's Corner Coal Project will have a capacity of 30 Mtpa via open-cut and underground longwall operations. The operation has a scheduled mine life of approximately 30 plus years.
Hancock's studies and direct market feedback from future customers indicate that a second 30 Mtpa Project for thermal coal from the Galilee Basin is required to meet their forecast demand for energy beyond 2020. Hancock's coal through trial burn processes has demonstrated that it is suitable for combustion in the majority of Asian and Indian power stations. The Project is expected to commence construction in 2012 and with first production in late 2014 dependant on gaining relevant approvals.
The Kevin’s Corner Coal Project is anticipated to employ thousands of people throughout its productive (30 year plus) life. The construction workforce is anticipated to peak at approximately 2,500 people.
Utilities
Power
For the initial construction accommodation village and construction works, power will be supplied using the temporary diesel driven generators.
The power supply authority will also provide a connection from the Galilee Basin Transmission Project to the Kevin's Corner Project site to supply power to complete the construction stage and to supply power to project infrastructure, and commence operations with electric powered equipment.
Water
Temporary potable water treatment and sewage treatment plants will be installed on site to provide for the initial construction workforce. Both of these treatment plants will be decommissioned once permanent plants are commissioned.
SunWater is currently investigating a proposal to construct the Connors River Dam, part of which includes the construction of a 350 km pipeline which will transport water from the dam to Moranbah and then on to Galilee Basin coal mine developments, including Hancock Coal's Alpha and Kevin's Corner coal mines.
Rail
The completed EIS for Alpha Coal and Kevin's Corner considers a new, dedicated multi-user rail system. Hancock proposes connecting both projects in a unique 'pit to port' logistics solution with a 495 km standard gauge rail line using 25,000 tonne payload trains to Australia's closest port to Asia, the Port of Abbot Point in North Queensland.
Port
Abbot Point is the preferred port location with current Bankable Feasibility Study design contemplating:- Coal handling facility and stockyard site of approximately 150ha in the Hancock allocated T3 Berth (the last adjacent coal stockpile location at Abbot Point)
- Two rail loops (8 km in length) located on site with dump stations to facilitate the unloading of coal
- Sufficient stockyard capacity to handle the full development of Alpha and Kevin's Corner mines (60 Mtpa plus)
- Berthing and coal loading for a full range of vessels from Handymax to Cape Class (i.e. 220,000 DWT)
For future company contracting queries or Expressions Of Interest, please direct your enquiries via the following links:
Hancock Coal - Mine Opportunities http://gateway.icn.org.au/project/653/hancock-coal-mine-opportunities
Hancock Coal - Railway Opportunities http://gateway.icn.org.au/project/654/hancock-coal-railway-opportunities
Hancock Coal - Port Opportunities http://gateway.icn.org.au/project/655/hancock-coal-port-opportunities
By using these links you will be able to register your interest as a potential service provider for the mine, mine industrial area, coal handling and preparation plant, rail, port or any combination of these areas.