Rio Tinto intersects coal at Queensland project

Australian Pacific Coal and Rio Tinto have intersected coal at their Mt Hillalong joint venture EPC1824 in the Bowen Basin, Queensland.

Two open holes and three 2D seismic lines were completed during September to assess the potential for coal measures. The drill results showed:

• HILL0002 intersected 12 m net coal between 320 m and 460 m depth from the Leichhardt, Vermont and Girrah Seams.
• HILL0003 intersected 11 m net coal between 155 m and 185 m depth from the Leichhardt and Vermont Seams.

Coal chip samples from the two holes have been submitted to laboratories for petrography analysis and reflectance determination. Seismic data is also being processed and interpreted, although it has already confirmed the Rangal Coal Measures are present and continuous within EPC1824.

Rio Tinto plans to return to the project in the next field season to follow up on the work achieved.

“This is a very good outcome for the […] project. Based on these results, we note that there is good potential for open cut mineable coal within the Hillalong Project”, said Paul Byrne, CEO of Australian Pacific Coal.

EPC1824 is located in Queensland’s Bowen Basin in close proximity to Rio Tinto’s existing Hail Creek mine.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/17102013/rio_tinto_intersects_coal_at_queensland_project_142/