Abbot Point X50's now all go
Source: Bowen Independent 
Date: 06/06/2008

The Abbot Point coal-loading facility will double its capacity after the X50 project got the green light in the State Budget this week. Treasurer Andrew Fraser announced the project as part of the Transport Infrastructure Investment Program to boost exports. The announcement was welcomed by Mayor Mike Brunker. “This also gives Bowen more certainty about what’s happening,” he said. “With the construction phase, there will be a lot more people in town,” he said. More than 500 workers are expected for the construction. Mr Fraser told parliament that the government had already invested $96 million in the expansion of the Abbot Point Coal Terminal to 21 million tonnes a year capacity. He said X21 opened last November. “We have already announced approval for the next stage through to 25 mtpa at a further cost of $95 million, and today I announce that we will double capacity at Abbot Point Coal Terminal to 50 mtpa in a massive $818 million project.” Cr Brunker said the announcement meant finally everything was “falling into place”. He said the Northern Missing Link, to the Goonyella line in the Bowen Basin was crucial. “Ports Corporation can’t get too far ahead of itself if QR is behind,” Cr Brunker said. “It would be horrendous if Port Corp is sitting there waiting to take 50 million tonnes and the link is not built,” he said. “QR has got to pull out all stops to now back up the good work of Ports Corporation.” When the Northern Missing Link is built it will mean miners would be able to ship their coal through either Abbot Point, the privately-owned Dalrymple Bay or the government-owned Gladstone, depending upon the congestion at the port. Whitsunday MP Jan Jarratt said not all of the $818 million for the X50 project was in this year’s budget. “But this is absolutely go,” she said. “It’s green light and the money is there.” Transport Minister John Mickel said the X50 Expansion “builds on the $70 million allocated for the Abbot Point X25 Expansion and $35 million for the renewal of stacker reclaimer machinery at the terminal”.

What's Missing? - Waiting for go ahead
Source: Bowen Independent
By: Eve Reitmajer
Date: 23-05-2008 

Two keenly anticipated projects that are expected to give the Bowen region a major economic boost – the doubling in size of the Abbot Point coal terminal and the building of the Northern Missing Link – are still awaiting final approval before they can go ahead.

 

However, the port expansion does have statutory approval, while the missing Link project, officially know as the Goonyella to Abbot Point Expansion, is to be presented to the Queensland Rail board next month for consideration, a business breakfast forum was told this week. The forum at Queens Beach Motor Hotel last Wednesday was to give businesses an opportunity to learn more about major infrastructure projects so they can plan to take advantage of any economic upswing. More than 120 business persons and a Year 12 Bowen State High School multi-strand science class attended, hearing from representatives from Queensland Rail, Ports Corporation Queensland and Ergon Energy. PCQ Regional Relationship manager Matthew Magin spoke about the future of the Abbot Point coal terminal. In March, Premier Anna Bligh announced the $95 million X25 expansion, expected to be completed by June next year, to take the terminal to 25 million tonnes per annum. Mr Magin said PCQ now had statutory approvals to expand the port to 50 million tonnes per annum but was awaiting final approvals to proceed from the State Government. He said the X50 expansion, at an estimated cost of more than $700 million, was sue for completion mid-2010. The potential for the port was much greater, however, with Mr Magin going on to describe a master plan for the area that included a further expansion of the coal terminal to 100mtpa capacity and a multi-cargo facility. He said the demand for such projects was real. In regards to the coal terminal, a survey last October of existing and potential port users advised PCQ of its capacity requirements. “We received requests for well over 100mtpa,” Mr Magin said. In regards to the multi-cargo facility, he said Abbot Point had the potential to become major new industrial zone as part of the Northern Economic Triangle. “Potential new industries include an alumina refinery, aluminium smelter, iron ore exports, nickel refinery, shale oil exports, coke and power station,” he said. QR project director for the Goonyella to Abbot Point expansion Bryce Jones provided an overview of that project, with construction time frames “generally in line with PCQ’s expansion of Abbot Point”. But again it was subject to final approvals. “The project is yet to be presented to the QR board for consideration,” he said. “This is expected to take place in June, after which the government’s shareholding ministers will also consider it.” Mr Jones said the project team and project partners were undertaking design and planning on the initial phase to 50mtpa, as well as completing investigations and concept studies of following phases, eventually taking it up to 100mtpa, and electrification of the system. Subject to approvals to proceed to 50mtpa capacity, Mr Jones said the project was due for completion by December 2010. In the following years ahead, further track duplications would be undertaken along the route ahead of increased demand, with the overall project expected to run to around 2014-15. Mr Jones said the associated activities in the Bowen and Collinsville region would be of particular interest to business owners. These included civil construction; track-laying and ballast placement; and signalling, electrification and telecommunications, all of which would entail, among other things, plant and equipment hire and labour. There would be accommodation and associated servicing for hundreds of people, in Bowen, Collinsville and accommodation villages including one proposed at Merinda with PCQ. Mr Jones also spoke of community considerations, which included sourcing local resources and services where possible. “Clearly we want to do that,” he said. “We want businesses to be successful as a result of our project”. “We want businesses to look back and say ‘that was a great time for our business’.”

Bowen gets front seat in bidding war
Source: Courier Mail
By: James McCullough
Date: 26/05/2008

Bowen is shaping up as the preferred location for the giant Aluminium Corporation of China’s (Chalco) alumina refinery as part of its $3 billion Aurukun Bauxite Project. Bowen was competing with both Townsville and Gladstone for the refinery, expected to create 2300 jobs during its three-year construction and more than 600 permanent jobs after completion. While Townsville was an early front-runner to land the project, industry sources yesterday said it now appeared Bowen was the preferred location. “I think you will find Bowen is now in pole position,” the source said. The decision to opt for Bowen rather than other coastal Queensland towns stems from a recent State Government decision. The Bligh Government has proclaimed a new state development area at nearby Abbot Point, a key port only 25km north of Bowen. It is understood the Government and Chalco are working out how vital infrastructure could be provided. The latest move comes after the Government last year granted a mining development licence to Chalco – the preferred developer for the Aurukun Bauxite Project in the state’s far north. The licence allowed the group to start a $40 million feasibility study into a proposed mine, plant and port facility near Aurukun, on Cape York Peninsula. The Chalco proposal includes a $2.2 billion alumina refinery at a yet-to-be-determined site on Queensland’s east coast, now believed to be Bowen. The Government also formally declared Aurukun a significant project and it’s Indigenous Land Use Agreement, which will govern relations with the traditional owners of its bauxite leases, has now also been formally registered. The Wik people of the Cape community of Aurukun will reap job and business development opportunities and $60 million in royalties if the multibillion-dollar bauxite mine on their traditional lands goes ahead. The mine is expected to produce about 6.4 million tonnes of dry bauxite every year.