** Call for Tenders for Exploration Permits for Coal (CLR2018-1) **

The Queensland Government has released four prospective coal areas totalling approximately 672 km2 (218 sub-blocks) via competitive tender with a cash bid component for coal exploration in Queensland’s Bowen Basin and Eromanga Basin.

The Bowen Basin is the most important coal-bearing province in Queensland in terms of resources, coal types and current coal production. The northern Bowen Basin has long been explored and exploited for coal.

The Eromanga Basin contains vast quantities of undeveloped thermal coal at shallow depths. It has the potential to support a number of large open cut operations if suitable coal transport infrastructure could be constructed.

All areas have been released via competitive tender with a cash bid component for an Exploration Permit for Coal (EPC).

The Queensland Government has engaged with directly affected landowners, native title parties, overlapping resource tenure holders and local councils. Regional natural resource management groups along with agricultural, environmental, local government and industry peak bodies have also been engaged about this opportunity.

A preferred tenderer must meet environmental, native title and other approval requirements before an EPC may be granted for a term of five years under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (MRA). Following grant, the EPC-holder will also need to complete land access and potentially other approval requirements before commencing on-ground exploration.