page_title: Bowen Basin
section_title: Mining
hierarchical_section_title: Bowen Basin / Mining
caption_attribution_description: Krupp twin boom portal reclaimer located at RTCA Kestrel Mine, Emerald, Queensland.
context_page_description: The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal reserves in Australia. This major coal-producing region contains one of the world's largest deposits of bituminous coal. The Basin contains much of the known Permian coal resources in Queensland including virtually all of the known mineable prime coking coal. It was named for the Bowen River, itself named after Queensland's first Governor, Sir George Bowen.
  The Bowen Basin covers an area of over 60,000 square kilometres in Central Queensland running from Collinsville to Theodore. There was a combined population of 41,973 people in the area in 2001. The ornamental snake is a small reptile native to the Bowen Basin region.
context_section_description: Most of the basin's open cut and underground coal mines are located in the north. The basin had 48 operational coal mines in August 2011.  In mid-2011, evidence of a continuing mining boom was provided by state government figures which showed more than 50 mining projects are under consideration in the Bowen Basin. The Goonyella railway line is the main route for exports of coal via Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point. Exports are also sent via the Port of Gladstone. Rio Tinto Coal Australia's Kestrel coal mine, near Emerald was named after a bird found in the area.
caption: A reclaimer operating at Kestrel coal mine, 2006
exif: {}