http://www.railpage.com.au/news/article-10801/Geelong’s port...

http://www.railpage.com.au/news/article-10801/

Geelong’s port would play a key role in State Government’s push.

Geelong’s port would play a key role in State Government’s push to join the multi-billion-dollar boom. The report recommended that State Government identify infrastructure to support mining exploration, including transport links.
GEELONG could share in Australia’s mining boom if a parliamentary committee report is adopted.The report said Geelong’s port would play a key role in State Government’s push to join the multi-billion-dollar boom.
Rail haulage to a key port like Geelong was crucial to Victoria’s bid because the majority of the state’s mineral resources were in regional areas, the report said.
The report recommended that State Government identify infrastructure to support mining exploration, including transport links. Mantle Mining, exploring for brown coal near Bacchus Marsh, told the committee rail haulage to Geelong gave the project a competitive advantage. The WA-based company announced last month it had found a wider-than-expected coal seam at Parwan, near Bacchus Marsh. Mantle Mining said it set an exploration target of up to two billion tonnes of coal for the area.
The company aims to export the majority of its coal after processing for enhanced greenhouse efficiency. Mantle Mining chief Ian Kraemer told the committee the close access to rail and ship-loading facilities at Port of Geelong was crucial.“(This) leads to an easier commercial outcome to get upgraded coal to market because it has rail (and) the Port of Geelong with capacity,” he said.
Clean coal technology company Exergen told the committee the value of access to rail infrastructure and port links led to its involvement in the industry. Exergen head Dr Jack Hamilton said the Melbourne-to-Ballarat railway line ran over the mining tenement, offering access to Geelong’s port. The report on greenfields mineral exploration and project development in Victoria said the sector dropped 40 per cent from $9.8 billion in 1990 to $5.9 billion in 2010.



Check out this chat forum re. BM coal to Geelong

http://forums.vicsig.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7057&start=0

Some noteable quotes...

"The claim that the coal will be processed "for enhanced greenhouse efficiency" is laughable. Is there nothing that can't be promoted as "green" these days? The "processing" of the brown coal would surely require an input of energy, which could even be greater than the amount of energy released. And where are the export markets for Australian brown coal, "enhanced" or not?"

and...

"The Coldry process requires a a co-located power station to provide the heat necessary to dry the lignite. Why use this process make black coal from lignite when there are massive quantities of existing black coal already available? I wish them luck."


And this forum.

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1684490.htm

"There's a lot of 'ifs' to be resolved before a new rail-served coal mine/treatment plant is opened at Parwan.

Firstly, Mantle Mining (the explorers) need to complete their drilling program to fully define the resource.

If that program is completed (and it is by no means certain, given the local resistance to giving access to private land), Mantle will have to apply for a Mining Licence and try to buy out the owners of the existing ML which covers the Maddingley mine."

Slightly misguided! All but one put the kettle on.


Some facts and historical features of the BM Maddingly Station.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchus_Marsh_railway_station



http://theconversation.edu.au/a-brown-coal-export-hub-tell-them-theyre-dreaming-6567

"Government belt-tightening means that any substantial investment that could transform the Latrobe valley into a coal export hub is unlikely to be forthcoming. Private industry is unlikely to fund such a scheme by itself in the absence of proven technology and without export contracts in hand. And with the fiscal brakes being applied at the federal level, there is unlikely to be any government investment in a coal export hub. So the conclusion is simple – there will be no coal-based export hub in eastern Victoria."


I missed this 3AW report. Some supportive comments posted.

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/breaking-news-blog/controversy-brewing-over-coal-mine/20111018-1lydh.html



This one's a beauty...

http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/indy/geelong/286/story/152512.html

A PROJECTED tripling of trade will mean major development of Geelong’s port, a computer simulation has shown.
Victorian Regional Channels Authority chief Capt Peter McGovern said major commodity growth would require an increase in Geelong’s shipping berths and storage facilities.
The Planimate computer simulation had projected the port’s infrastructure requirements up to 20 years into the future, he said.
“The simulations we’re studying, showing exports surging to nearly 35 million tonnes by 2030, are shaping as reality.”
Capt McGovern said channels authority was using Planimate extensively to prepare the authority’s first port development strategy.
“The strategy looks at market growth, ships, channels, wharves and on-shore infrastructure, roads, rail and the residential-industrial interface,” he said.
“It gives port stakeholders an opportunity to gauge what investments might be needed in the future to ensure we capitalise on the port’s economic growth.
“If a new commodity was coming through Corio Quay the model might show a need for another berth there.
“Without that lead time to plan we risk missing out on new commodities. We have to be ready.”
The Independent reported earlier this month that Geelong’s port would play a key role in a State Government push to join the multi-billion dollar mining boom.
Coal explorer Mantle Mining said access to a rail link to Geelong port was crucial to his company’s development of a two-billion-tonne coalmine near Bacchus Marsh.
Capt McGovern said the next economic impact study, due in two weeks, would update the port’s key statistics.
Channels authority development analyst Stuart Christie said the simulation model enabled stakeholders to see on screen the changes required.
“We work on trends and forecasts from port stakeholders and talk to the City, VicRoads and VicTrack about their future plans.
“We input all that into model to get an overall port picture.”


A Green perspective. (good luck)

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/we-shouldnt-sell-coal-overseas/story-fn6bn88w-1226315394789


And finally...

Plan to head off protests on coal

http://article.wn.com/view/2012/04/10/Plan_to_head_off_protests_on_coal/

"The Baillieu government wants to ramp up brown coal mining. Photo: Justin McManus THE Baillieu government is working on a long-term strategy to try to head off objections to its plans to develop Victoria's brown coal reserves. The plan is outlined in documents - seen by The Age - being prepared by the government to sell new projects in the wake of climate change. The documents say the plan will ''identify actions to address issues associated with the long-term development of coal..."


Nice to know we are right in the thick of all this!