RESOURCES

On a trajectory of expansion, Batchfire Resources is the low-fugitive emission energy coal producer pursuing plans for Net Zero. We explore a community-centric company culture with CEO, Allan Fidock

Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

It’s an exciting time to be in Australian coal mining.

Earlier this year, the federal government’s Resources and Energy Quarterly report forecast that Australian coal would soon become the second commodity to surpass AUD$100 billion in annual exports.

In the corridor of central Queensland’s Callide Valley, one company poised to exploit this dynamic market shift is energy coal producer, Batchfire Resources (Batchfire).

“The export market at the moment is extremely solid in terms of pricing, and is reaching historical highs,” opens CEO, Allan Fidock.

After stepping into the role just eight months ago, Fidock is set to ensure that the company is positioned to leverage these extremely favourable market conditions.

Following the discovery of bituminous coal deposits on these resource-rich lands in 1890, the Callide Mine has been in operation since 1944, before Batchfire became owners of the Callide Basin resource in November 2016.

Located 120 kilometres southwest from the Port of Gladstone, the operations of the mine are intrinsically linked to the livelihood of the Biloela township and Banana Shire as the beating heart of the local community. Batchfire is the Callide Valley’s largest employer and the mine is a catalyst for regional prosperity, driving the local economy, forming partnerships and creating a culture of local participation.

With the basin spanning over 16,000 hectares, the Batchfire tenure boasts a significant estimated resource potential of 1.07 billion tonnes of coal. Using conventional open-cut mining methods, the mine’s low-sulphur energy coal plays a significant role in domestic power generation, alumina refining, and international electricity generation.

Aside from the export segment, Batchfire’s open-cut energy coal operation is a vital source for its neighbouring power stations – Callide B and Callide C, owned by CS Energy. On an annual basis, Batchfire provides up to six million tonnes of ultralow sulphur, low fugitive emission energy coal to these power stations, helping to keep the lights on across Queensland and beyond.

These domestic markets are a crucial component of the Batchfire portfolio. While renewable sources play an increasing role in delivering Australia’s energy needs, coal remains a vital source of electrical power, providing 75 percent of Australia’s total electricity supply in 2020 alone.

“The Callide Power Stations produce just under 20 percent of the base load electrical power for the whole of Queensland,” emphasises Fidock. This equates to up to 1,525 megawatts (MW) of electricity fed into the national grid, enough to power two million homes and businesses across Eastern Australia.

Batchfire And The Journey To Net Zero

• Introducing more fuel-efficient trucks and data-science led solutions to reduce overall fuel consumption.

• Using battery and solar panel systems to power communications hubs and other stationary facilities.

• Pursuing renewable energy opportunities across the Callide basin including solar and wind.

As Batchfire continues to develop its export reach, this same mission of enhancing societies with reliable power generation - and the employment opportunities and advances in education that this entails - is extending to developing countries across Asia.

“We target roughly 11 million tonnes of coal production per year, of which 4.5 million tonnes goes to export markets, while the rest is for domestic purposes,” outlines Fidock. “Aside from the Callide Power Stations, we also have another major domestic customer which we supply to in Gladstone.”

Fidock himself cut his teeth in the rewarding realm of Australian coal mining, and has long enjoyed the dynamism of such an industry.

“I grew up in rural New South Wales (NSW), when the coal mining industry was booming,” he reflects. After accepting an opportunity to join a local mining operation as a trainee surveyor, Fidock’s career path saw him climb the ranks to a managerial mining position and beyond.

Blackwoods

Blackwoods is Australia’s largest supplier of industrial and safety products, providing end-to-end MRO solutions for an array of industries. Blackwoods supplies more than 300,000 products, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), safety workwear, workplace tools and equipment, industrial cleaners, lubricants, adhesives and much more.

In helping to build a better and safer Australia, Blackwoods, buys nearly 90 percent of its products from Australian organisations, and nearly a quarter of its products are Australian made. This includes products manufactured by Indigenous Australian businesses that are all Supply Nation certified. Behaving responsibly and acting with integrity is fundamental to how Blackwoods operates as a business. Blackwoods promotes and supports a rigorous sustainability agenda including a regular review of the sustainability issues that are material to the business. Blackwoods’ approach to sustainability includes assessing and managing material issues most relevant to operations such as Climate Change Resilience, Community Contributions, Ethical Sourcing, Gender Balance, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Indigenous Diversity, People Development, Product Quality and Safety and Waste and Packaging.

The Blackwoods footprint is vast, with six distribution centres in each major Australian city, and over 50 Branches spanning cities, and rural, regional, and remote locations.

Blackwoods has earned a reputation as a leader across a vast array of industries that reflect the diversity of this nation. From snow to fire, waterways to highways, railroads to sea lanes, tilled soil to tunnels deep underground, Blackwoods is helping build a better Australia.

blackwoods.com.au

“It’s been a fantastic industry to be part of, enabling me to support my family and travel the world. From day one I was challenged, mentored and given the support that allowed me to achieve and surpass my early ambitions within the resources sector.”

BATCHFIRE RESOURCES –IN NUMBERS

1,250 families supported, directly and indirectly

42 percent of all local employment 85 percent of workforce live within Callide Valley

AUD$89.7 MILLION wages paid annually

AUD$293.4 MILLION paid for products and services annually

AUD$31.3 MILLION royalties paid to Queensland government annually

Consistent Credibility

As the foundation of the company’s future objectives, maintaining credibility is crucial for both Fidock and Batchfire.

An enterprise of both drive and ambition, Batchfire prides itself on delivering its commitments. This is best evidenced by the progress of two of Batchfire’s primary goals –developing an increasing presence on the export market, and the target of reaching Net Zero by 2050.

In recent years, Batchfire’s foray into the export market has picked up speed significantly.

“A key difference that Batchfire brought when taking over the Callide Mine was to provide coal for export, since the majority of the previous owners were only concerned with domestic supply.

“The new owners have invested significantly into the mine in order to get the quantity of coal out to export. It has really given the mine a new lease of life,” he says.

Presently, Batchfire endeavours to increase its output to 11.5 million

Discovery Parks

Choose a Discovery Parks ‘home away from home’ for your next work stay

Since the company’s inception in 2004, Discovery Parks has developed a network of ‘home away from home’ properties capable of accommodating and catering for teams of workers of up to 200+ people.

First established in 2006, Biloela in Central Qld was Discovery’s first work stay property, and continues to provide accommodation services to nearby Callide mine.. Since then, Discovery’s work stay portfolio has grown to include 19 owned or managed work stay villages across Australia, offering quality accommodation and catering solutions for workforce staff.

Discovery Parks understands the unique needs of businesses operating in remote and rural areas, and our WorkStay team is committed to tailoring services that meet the needs of anyone working away from home. With that in mind, happy people are at the heart of Discovery’s work stay mission: to create a ‘home away from home’ that workers want to return to.

To ensure we deliver this at each of our properties, Discovery Parks commits to the following: tonnes a year, capitalising upon the current market conditions to strengthen its position.

• A range of fresh, healthy meals with minimal repetition week to week.

• Regular food theme nights that utilise the strengths of our chefs to create authentic culinary experiences, including BBQs and specialty food truck nights.

• First-class recreational facilities including gymnasiums and pools.

• All the comforts of a ‘home away from home’.

• A promise to make our customer’s lives easy through every stages of their work stay rotation.

Whether you need an accommodation management team for your onsite village or you’d like to find out more about Discovery’s full Facility Management Service, Discovery Parks has the right mix of quality properties and people around Australia to help.

Next time Stay Discovery.

“The bottom line of this is simply that the more we can produce, the more coal we can send to export. We currently have plans for various options to reach 11.5 million tonnes by next year.”

It’s a major move for the company, necessitating further investment in labour and a renewed fleet of gear for operations.

“We have the equipment, and the people, but we do need more. It’s a tight labour market here at the moment, which means it can be difficult to get operators. We’re fortunate in that we have a full mix of operators and maintainers, but we need to source more to run that extra fleet,” he explains.

At the core of this movement is the premium of the Batchfire coal itself, as a sought-after product with credible value on the global market.

“Although our coal type is quite low in typical export quality, in that it has low calorific value, it is extremely low in sulphur content which makes it keenly sought as a blend coal.”

Whilst most other coals have a sulphur level of 0.5 or 0.6, the sulphur content of Batchfire coal typically stands at 0.2. Crucially, when blended with other products, this brings down the overall sulphur content of the energy coal mix.

As the lowest fugitive emission energy coal mined anywhere in Queensland, Batchfire coal is an ideal component to fuel cleaner electricity generation across Asia Pacific, thanks to its reduced emissions and ultra-low level of inherent impurities.

The energy-efficient characteristics of the resource itself support Batchfire’s transitional energy

Mine Support Services

Mine Support Services (MSS) Is proud to be partnering with Batchfire Resources in a multi-year Mine Rehabilitation Program at Callide Mine. With shared environmental values we look forward to working together to implement the site progressive rehabilitation and closure plan, delivering positive environmental and social benefits for the Callide Valley community.

MSS are specialists in mining rehabilitation with over 30 years’ experience in mining rehabilitation.

Through every phase of the rehabilitation lifecycle, we provide turnkey solutions to achieve our client’s objectives.

Underpinning our service is a team of experienced mining professionals and environmental specialists combining best practices in science, agriculture, and bulk earthworks execution.

Our scientific approach considers every aspect of rehabilitation including landform design, earthworks modelling and optimisation, erosion and sediment control, soil chemistry, amelioration, ground preparation and seeding.

Our technical capabilities are built on innovative thinking, with constant research and development, combined with field trials to improve outcomes year after year.

Whilst what we do defines us, it is how we do it that really drives us. Everything we do revolves around the people who work for us and the people we work for. Our team values shape our business in every way. People are at our core.

Mining rehabilitation is an integral part of the mining lifecycle, and we are tremendously proud to be delivering great environmental outcomes, and to contribute to the success of Batchfire.

We are looking forward to contributing to the local community, by employing locally, purchasing locally, and supporting the community in which we are living and working.

www.minesupportservices.com.au