Coal Mine Tracker adds a new greenfield proposal

It hasn’t taken long for the mining industry to submit its first proposal for a new coal mine in 2026. The new proposal, the Washpool Coking Coal Project, is for a completely new mine, known in mining circles as a ‘greenfield’ proposal.  Most new coal projects are extensions to existing operations, known as ‘brownfield’ sites.

The Washpool Coking Coal Project in Queensland, proposed by Magnetic South Pty Ltd, would mine one million tonnes of coking coal over two years, in what is known as a ‘bulk‑sample’.

Bulk-samples are used by mining companies to work out if it is viable to invest in a full‑scale operation at the same location. In this case, Magnetic South Pty Ltd is looking to revive an older proposal from Aquila Resources Limited to mine up to 2 million tonnes a year over 18 years in the same location. The original proposal was withdrawn in 2016, and Aquila Resources has since sold its Queensland coal mining interests.

A full scale mine, under the original proposal, would generate an additional 98 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime. Equivalent to the emissions from an average coal-fired power station operating for 14 years continuously.

What makes greenfield proposals so outlandish is that while the Australian Government remains notionally committed to net zero by 2050, the mining industry still have the chutzpah, the time, and the resources to submit greenfield sites for EPBC approval.

The EPBC approvals process can be long and complex but few projects are rejected. If the mining industry still believes it can receive Australian Government approval for greenfield coal mines in 2026, then it is a telling sign that the Government’s commitment to net zero is paper thin.