blackwater train

Blackwater

Blackwater is one of nine metallurgical coal mines in Queensland's Bowen Basin.

Blackwater at a glance

The Blackwater coal mine is a part of BMA, the 50:50  joint venture between BHP and Mitsubishi Development.

1967The Blackwater mine was opened in 1967.
80 kmsIt has a strike length of 80 kilometres.
770kgIt takes around 770kg of metallurgical coal to make one tonne of steel.

Blackwater mine lies 73 kilometers south-east of Emerald in Queensland on the traditional lands of the Gaangalu people. It's one of the longest coal mines in the Southern Hemisphere, with a strike length of 80 kilometers. Both thermal and metallurgical coal are extracted using truck and shovel, as well as loader and dragline. Bituminous coal is mined from the Permian Moranbah and Rangal Coal Measures, while complex seam splitting occurs along the mine’s strike length.

TrucksBlackwater 2021

Metallurgical coal

Metallurgical coal (sometimes referred to as coking coal) is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock found within the Earth’s crust.

Blackwater truck beneath stars

We like to reminisce, and I really do like Blackwater - it's got everything we all need.

Kay Orr

Administration officer, Blackwater Mine