Fueling industries and powering innovation
Nestled in the heart of Queensland’s Bowen Basin, Cook Colliery stands as a testament to the region’s enduring legacy in coal mining. Cook Colliery is located approximately 27 kilometres south of Blackwater in Queensland’s Bowen Basin and was added to QCoal’s portfolio following its acquisition from Bounty Mining in 2020.
At the time of its acquisition the underground metallurgical mine had been in care and maintenance since December 2019. However, under QCoal’s stewardship Cook Colliery returned to full operational status in February 2022.
The mine site has a long history that stretches back to the 1970s with both longwall and bord pillar mining methods in use during this time. At the centre of Cook Colliery’s output is a high-quality coking coal product, which boasts high fluidity, medium volatility and a low sulphur profile, together with a high-quality thermal coal by-product.
The onsite coal handling and preparation plant is a hive of innovation, featuring a sophisticated network of surface conveyors, a ROM product stockpiles, train loader, reject disposal sites and a dedicated private haul road for coal transport. This modern and streamlined system delivers a premier hard coking product and a high-grade thermal product.
After production, the coal produced by Cook Colliery is railed to Gladstone Port where it’s exported across the globe, fueling industries and powering innovation.
The Cook Colliery workforce
Central to the way we work is our commitment to local employment. This is why an impressive 45% of our dedicated workforce is drawn from the immediate regional Central Highlands area. We’re proud of our focus on community, which is a central tenet of QCoal’s vision for regional Queensland. So, we’ve embraced a model that nurtures local talent and supports regional growth.
At Cook Colliery we believe in mining with a purpose. And our purpose is to ensure a prosperous future for our people and this region.
Quick Facts
- Location: 27km south of the community of Blackwater in the Bowen Basin, in Queensland
- Method: Underground — bord and pillar extraction, transitioning to place-change
- Product: Hard coking coal and thermal coal
- Production: Up to 1 million tonnes per year
- Jobs: Up to 220
- First coal: 1970, 2022 (QCoal restart)
- Initial term of mining lease: 25 years (until 2046)
- Status: Operating
- Traditional Owners: Ghungalu Nation People
- Local Government Area: Central Highlands Regional Council