Building on its long term relationship with Whitehaven Coal at its Gunnedah-based mines at Tarrawonga and Narrabri, Bis Industries’ scope of works has expanded to include off-road haulage for the Werris Creek Mine. This additional work involves the movement of approximately 1.6 Mt/y of coal from the Werris Creek stockpile directly to the nearby train load out facility.
“After partnering with Whitehaven Coal in 2014, the relationship has seen multiple contract extensions, each time built on the mutually shared delivery pillars of productivity, innovation and safety. Currently more than 60 people are employed by Bis to deliver for Whitehaven. The assets utilised at Whitehaven include a new fleet of enhanced prime movers and A-double combinations which provide greater payload capacity whilst reducing emissions.”
Bis provides essential on-road load and haul transport of coal from Whitehaven Coal’s open cut mine at Tarrawonga NSW, to the Gunnedah Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP); a distance of 40 km. Additionally, Bis delivers underground and maintenance services to Whitehaven Coal’s nearby Narrabri Underground mine.
Bis uses a specialised fleet of Scania R620 prime movers towing A-double combinations which provide a greater payload capacity. The increased capacity reduces emissions and contributes to improved local road safety due to fewer vehicle movements.
The Gunnedah CHPP and train load-out facility support Whitehaven Coal’s open-cut mines in the Gunnedah Basin. It receives coal from Tarrawonga Mine via road. The coal is crushed, processed to customer specifications and loaded out for transport by rail to the Port of Newcastle, the world’s largest coal export port.Commencing operations in 2002, the Gunnedah CHPP has a capacity of 4.2 Mt/y Run of Mine (ROM) with an average output of 3 Mtpa product coal.Its feeder mine, Tarrawonga has been in operation since 2006, producing a mix of metallurgical coal for steel making and low ash thermal coal for energy generation. The vast majority of these products are exported however a small number of niche domestic users value the high quality product.
