Resource company TerraCom announced plans to build a 60 MW solar power station on rehabilitated land at the Blair Athol coal mine in Queensland, Australia.
The company wants the mine to once again be active in the region, but this time by assisting with achieving renewable energy targets in Queensland.
“TerraCom is keen to play a role in helping the government deliver on its renewable energy targets. Blair Athol is well placed to achieve this due to its close proximity to the electricity grid,” said TerraCom chairperson Cameron McRae. “The introduction of a Solar Power Station constructed on rehabilitated mine land will provide a long term future for Blair Athol as a solar hub, which will mean Blair Athol will be again helping to power Queensland’s growth.”
In the past, the mine has produced high quality thermal coal for over 100 years. TerraCom recently bought the mine, via its wholly owned subsidiary Orion Mining, for $1 from the mining major Rio Tinto.
The plan now is to restart the mine in the 4th quarter of 2016 and to build the solar power station on a 50-hectare land. The projected future production capacity of the mine is set at 2 MTPA of coal.