URL: https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/cr122536
EPC 1029 was initially granted to Waratah Coal Pty Ltd on the 20th April 2006 and comprised a total of 177 sub-blocks. Renewals for a further two 5 year terms was granted giving a current expiry date of 19/4/2021. After the 3sb relinquishment approved 1 July 2019, EPC 1029 contains 68sb. The EPC is located 25 km northwest of Marlborough. On the 21 December 2011, EPC 1029 was assigned to Fairway Coal Pty Ltd.
This partial relinquishment report provides information on all the exploration carried out in the three sub-block area relinquished 1 July 2019. After the first scout drilling programs which were located in the north of EPC 1029, the primary drilling target became a potential resource immediately south and north of the Bruce Highway. Subsequent drilling and review of data suggest there may be other areas where coal appears to be developed in mineable quantities under shallow overburden depths within EPC 1029. This area of shallow coal near the Bruce Highway was later promoted to the higher order tenure MDL 468, and those sub-blocks were relinquished from EPC 1029.
Within the three sub-blocks associated with this relinquishment, one chip hole (STX017) was drilled in 2008, to a depth of 318 metres. These three sub-blocks are located in the far-northern part of the original extent of EPC 1029. In STX017, although a coal seam sequence typical of the Styx Coal Measures was intersected, the uppermost coal seam was at 81 metres depth; and several coal seams were intersected between 81 and 215 metres depth, all less than one metre in thickness. The geophysical log reached 214 metres, stopping at an apparent hole blockage. The geologist’s log indicates that the base of the Styx Basin and the top of the Permian was intersected at around 231 metres, at the base of a coarse sandstone that has been encountered at the base of the Styx Coal Measures in numerous holes to the south of STX017.
Given that the coal seams in the northern part of EPC 1029’s original extent are typically deep and thin, relinquishments from this northern area have been made during most of the relinquishment schedule. This northern area is also under an environmentally constrained area, known as ‘Coastal Management District’.