Positive outlook for Australian coal exploration

Tiaro Coal Limited is the latest company to be granted coal exploration permits in Australia.

Tiaro announced it has recently received notification from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines that two exploration permits with the potential to host hard coking coal in the Maryborough Basin, Queensland, have been granted.

Coal Exploration Permits EPC 2511 and EPC 2513 cover a total area of 921 km² and target the Burrum Coal Measures that have been mined historically in the Howard district.

0.5 million tpa of coking coal

The new permits are also well positioned near to the New Hope Group’s proposed Colton Coal Project, which is envisaged as an open pit mine capable of producing 0.5 million tpa of coking coal for at least 10 years, as well as infrastructure, population and services centres.

No coal exploration drilling has been carried out to date in these two permit areas, however water bore data has reported coal intersections.

Large areas have already been identified for initial coal exploration, with at least 90 km² in EPC 2511 and 160 km² in EPC 2513.

Coal quality confirmation

Tiaro Coal will carry out geological field mapping to locate optimal drill sites for two to three initial stratigraphic/scout holes in each permit area. Geophysical surveys will also be carried out to improve definition of targets along with target drilling, sampling and testing to confirm coal sequences and coal quality.

Subsequent resource definition drilling will be carried out in confirmed target areas to work towards Joint Ore Resources Committee (JORC) estimation.

Managing Director, Dan Buckley, commented: “The Burrum Coal Measures have been shown to contain seams with potential to produce high quality coking coals. We are excited about the opportunity to explore out identified areas of interest within these EPCs with our aim of defining coal resources amenable to mining”.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/10102013/positive_outlook_for_australian_coal_exploration_114/