Glencore receives special status for QLD coal project
The Queensland Government has recognised Glencore’s proposed
billion-dollar coal mine, Valeria as a coordinated project.
This is a major milestone for Glencore as it moves the
Valeria project through its approval processes.
Valeria will produce metallurgical and thermal coal, and
support up to 1400 construction jobs and 950 full-time operational jobs over a
35-year mine life.
The Valeria coal mine will replace production from other
Glencore operations coming to the end of their mine lives, including the
Clermont coal mine in central Queensland.
“Our Australian coal operations will continue to produce the
high-quality coal required to meet expected levels of global steel production
and energy demand in Asia,” Glencore coal assets Australia chief operating
officer Ian Cribb said.
“In Queensland, coal continues to be an important driver of
the economy as a source of jobs, royalties, reliable energy and support for
local businesses both in the city and the bush.”
Glencore’s coal assets contributed more than $4 billion to
the Queensland economy through investment in existing mines, royalties,
community programs and spending capital on goods and services from regional
suppliers.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said the Valeria mine
would be a valuable part of the state’s plan to unite and recover employment
post-coronavirus.
“This new mine has the potential to create hundreds of new
jobs as Queensland recovers from the extraordinary shock of the global
coronavirus pandemic,” Dick said.
“Projects like this are a vote of confidence in Queensland’s
future as a diversified economy.
“Queensland has been spared some of the worst impacts of the
COVID downturn. That is thanks in no small part to some of our traditional
industries like mining and agriculture that have been able to keep
Queenslanders employed and their markets sustained through these troubled
times.”
The next step in bringing the Valeria mine to life will be
for Glencore to prepare an environmental impact statement, which will be
assessed by Queensland’s coordinator-general for environmental, social and
economic impacts.
There will also be extensive community consultation and
rigorous scientific analysis to understand the feasibility of any impacts going
ahead.
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