Wesfarmers Resources

One of Australia’s largest independent coal producers

Curragh Mine is operated by Wesfarmers Curragh Pty Ltd and covers an area of approximately 12,600 hectares in the coal-rich Bowen Basin of Central Queensland – 14 kilometres north-west of Blackwater and approximately 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton.

One of Australia’s largest independent coal producers, Curragh currently produces 6.5 million tonnes of export coal and 2.5 million tonnes of domestic coal per year.

Open cut reserves at Curragh allow production levels to be maintained to at least 2025, sustaining an efficient mining operation whilst providing a reliable supply for customers and a satisfactory return on our shareholders’ investments.

Curragh Mine predominantly produces three products – low ash hard coking coal, pulverised coal injection (PCI) coal and high ash steaming coal. Curragh has been supplying worldwide markets with coking coal since 1984.  The excellent coking characteristics and numerous other desirable coal qualities make Curragh coking coal highly sought after by steel makers in Japan, South-East Asia, Europe and South America.  The coal is railed 300 kilometres from the mine to the Port of Gladstone.

Curragh’s steaming coal is produced for domestic power generation and railed 160 kilometres directly to Stanwell Power Station near Rockhampton.

Products and markets

Curragh Mine predominantly produces a low-ash, low volatile hard coking coal and PCI coal product for export metallurgical markets, as well as a high ash steam coal for domestic power utility markets.

The typical specifications of these products are detailed as follows:

Curragh hard coking coal is a well-known export brand name. Exports commenced in 1984 and the Curragh brand name has since been recognised for low ash content, low coke oven wall pressure and quality consistency.

Curragh hard coking coal produces a coke product with exceptionally strong mechanical strength. The rank of Curragh coking coal is at the peak for coke making with a petrographic composition with a very tight vitrinite reflectance range and the correct balance of reactive and inert material. These characteristics ensure that Curragh product can be used as either a blend coal or a standalone component for the production of blast furnace coke and foundry coke.

Curragh hard coking coal is utilised by many major steel mills in Asia, Europe and South America.

Curragh PCI coal’s low ash, high energy, low phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine provide substantial benefits in the PCI injection process.

Curragh thermal coal is a blend of middlings product from the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant and run of mine bypass coal from the mining pits. The low moisture, low sulphur thermal coal is a moderate to high net calorific value energy product with excellent combustion and ash fusion properties. All thermal coal product is delivered to domestic power stations at Stanwell under long term contracts