Stanwell Corporation Limited (Stanwell) today announced a further major investment in the South Burnett with the purchase of six new Hitachi dump trucks for Meandu Mine at a cost of almost $50 million.
Stanwell Chief Executive Officer Richard Van Breda said the new, much larger mine trucks would mean Meandu Mine could provide cheaper coal to Stanwell’s Tarong and Tarong North power stations, located adjacent to the mine.
The first two trucks arrived at Meandu Mine on semi-trailers in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 March.
“Our expenditure of more than $47 million is a strong vote of confidence in the future of electricity generation in the South Burnett,” he said.
“Stanwell is ensuring that it has the most up-to-date mine machinery to continue coal mining at Meandu and power generation at our two power stations for the long term.”
Stanwell signed a contract with Hitachi for the six Hitachi EH5000 trucks. They will replace existing 17-year-old trucks which are well past the normal economic life for mine dump trucks.
The Hitachi EH5000 trucks have a tray capacity of 300 tonnes, nearly double the capacity of the 170 tonne Meandu trucks they are replacing. The trays can hold soil and rocks weighing the same as 140 Holden Commodores.
The trucks travelled more than 7000 kilometres by sea from Japan and were partially disassembled in Brisbane for transport to the South Burnett.
Mr Van Breda said Stanwell was investing for the long term at Meandu Mine, which was expected to provide coal to the Tarong and Tarong North power stations for at least another twenty years.
“By producing coal more cheaply at Meandu we can boost the profitability of the Tarong and Tarong North power stations and that is good for the South Burnett and for Queensland,” he said.
Jay Merritt
Portfolio Communication Manager
3228 4121 or 0437 830 578
Jay.merritt@stanwell.com