The small-scale Wongai project, which does not require a port to be built, is expected to produce about 1.1 million tonnes of coal per year for export, ABC reported.
Bounty Mining director Rob Stewart said, "What we’ve chosen to do, because it’s a small-scale mining operation, is to barge the coal from shallow water out to deeper waters where we would have a ship anchored at a trans-shipment point, which is quite a common practice in many overseas countries but it’s not common in Australia."
Meanwhile, the conservationists have warned that the Wongai coal mine project could destroy Great Barrier Reef and lead to environmental disaster.
The coal mine is scheduled to receive State and Federal Governments approval as well as approval from the Great Barrier Reef Marine park authority prior to the construction.
Located near Cape York’s Lakefield National park, the mine’s feasibility study is due to commence in another 18 months.
