The Olive Downs coal project is steaming towards a mid-year start for mining as it marks an infrastructure milestone with the official opening of the Sheldon Bridge.
The 120m long reinforced concrete bridge spans the Isaac River, connecting the Bowen Basin mine site to the public road network.
Pembroke Resources is behind the $1 billion Olive Downs Complex development, creating 500 to 700 jobs during construction and more than 1000 jobs at full production.
“The opening of the bridge marks yet another milestone in the development of the Olive Downs Complex,” Pembroke Resources chairman and chief executive officer Barry Tudor said.
“Construction is advancing to plan on multiple fronts including rail, electricity and at the coal handling and processing plant.
“Over 400,000 hours have been spent on construction so far with more than 300 people on site on a daily basis.”
Related: Pembroke Resources General Manager Blair Richardson and ESG Manager Melanie Saul are presenting the business and the Olive Downs Complex at a Connecting Industry Luncheon (in-person and online) in Gladstone on May 17. For more information, connect here now.
The company expects to begin mining operations in June this year, with first exports to come towards the end of the year.
“The Olive Downs Complex is delivering new, incremental production of high quality steelmaking coal to supply-constrained world markets,” Mr Tudor said.
“It is doing so while setting a new standard for the integration of ESG into all aspects of operations.
“The first shipments of our high quality steel-making coal will be exported late 2023.”
The newly completed Sheldon Bridge is named after Pembroke chief operating officer Mark Sheldon, who has played a key role in conceptualising and developing the Olive Downs Complex.
The principal contractor, Davbridge Constructions, is a Queensland civil construction contractor.
Other contract partners included Westera Partners (design and certification), Stresscrete Rockhampton (supply of precast piles and bridge deck), Fulton Hogan (asphalt), A1 Highways (guardrail), Moorvale Quarrying Moranbah (quarry material supply), Quarrico Moranbah (concrete supply), Infrabuild Mackay (steel) and Metcraft Brisbane (bridge rail).
Since breaking ground on the coal project last April, Pembroke has engaged more than 86 Central Queensland businesses, including 24 based in Moranbah, to develop the project.
This article first appeared in Industry Queensland.
