Valeria Coal Project

In December 2022, Glencore withdrew the Valeria coal project from the approvals process and placed the project under review. This decision was made in the context of increased global uncertainty and is consistent with Glencore’s commitment to a responsibly managed decline of our global coal business and our ambition of being a net zero total emissions business by 2050.

We will continue to progress various brownfield coal extensions at existing mines in Australia. In the meantime, a number of operations – including Liddell, Newlands and Integra – will close and undergo appropriate rehabilitation.

Location

The project area is located 27 kilometres north-west of Emerald in the Bowen Basin, Central Queensland.

Ownership

The project proponent is Valeria Coal Holdings Pty Limited, a subsidiary of Glencore Coal Pty Ltd (Glencore).

In December 2022, Glencore withdrew the Valeria project from the approvals process and placed the project under review. Until that point, the project was being assessed as a Coordinated Project under the Queensland State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (SDPWO Act).

The mine extends over three Mining Lease Application (MLA) areas – 700044, 700045 and 700055 – lodged with the Department of Resources (DoR) in 2019. A further Specific Purpose MLA (700068) over the associated infrastructure corridor was lodged with DoR in 2021.

Environmental Authority applications

Two associated Environmental Authority (EA) applications were submitted to the Department of Environment and Science (DES) in 2019 for:

MLA 700055 (previously referred to as the Valeria Project)
MLAs 700044 and 700045 (previously referred to as the Valeria South Project).

The DES subsequently issued two notices requiring an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process be completed.

Access to project information

For project information, refer to the Office of Coordinator General’s (OCG) website.

Key components of the project approvals

The IAS (PDF 13MB) provides information to enable the OCG to determine whether the project meets the criteria to be declared a ‘Coordinated Project’ under the SDPWO Act.

Five EPBC Act Referrals, covering the mine site and associated infrastructure, have been lodged with the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) to enable a decision as to whether the project constitutes a ‘controlled action’ and whether further assessment is required under the EPBC Act. Copies of the EPBC Act Referrals can be accessed for review and comment on DAWE's website.

The ToR has been developed in consultation with OCG, various state government departments, local government and DAWE to define the content requirements for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and other approval application material. Public comment on the Draft ToR will be available on the Office of Coordinator General’s (OCG) website from 27 August 2022.

The EIS is to be submitted in accordance with the SDPWO Act, providing information on the existing environmental, social and economic values of the project area, potential impacts to these values that may result from the project, and measures proposed to mitigate and manage those potential impacts.

The SIA is to be submitted in accordance with Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act 2017 (SSRC Act).

The PRCP is to be submitted under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act).

The EA for MLA’s 700044, 700045 and 700055 and would be a site-specific EA for a resource activity. Public objection to the grant of the MLs and EA can be made at this stage.

Glencore is committed to engaging with all stakeholders, particularly local community.

We seek to build enduring relationships that result in positive and lasting social and economic benefits in the communities in which we operate.

We have established a Valeria Community Consultation Group and will hold additional engagement sessions on specific themes to address concerns and identify opportunities.

The community and stakeholders will also have the opportunity to comment via formal written submission on the EPBC Act Referrals, Terms of Reference and Environmental Impact Statement when they become available.

A Valeria Coal Project newsletter is published and distributed on a project milestone basis. The newsletter provides up-to-date information about the project, including proposed community engagement activities and progress of the approval process. The May 2022 edition (1MB) is available for download.

For more information, refer to the project overview on this web page, or email the Valeria Coal Project team.

Community investment

Glencore partners with organisations to promote sustainable development in:

For more information on Glencore Coal Australia’s commitment to communities, download our Community Investment Program booklet (PDF 6.8MB).

Use the links below to access documentation for the Valeria Coal Project.

If you have any questions about the Valeria Coal Project, please contact us using the information below.

If you have a media enquiry, visit our contact us page.

Project enquiries

Address: Level 23, 300 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Tel: 1800 512 100

To make a general enquiry, please complete and submit the form below. Fields marked with an * are mandatory.

Community complaints and enquiries

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Tel: 1800 512 100