Adani Mining Pty Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited, India, has approval to build the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project in the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland, Australia. The thermal coal mine, if completed, will be Australia’s largest coal mine, and one of the largest coal mines in the world [1]. It will include open cut and underground coal mining and associated mine processing facilities and produce 60 million tonnes of coal per annum (Mtpa) and 4.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions [1]. The coal will initially be transported via a private rail line connecting the mine to Moranbah. From there it will be transported via the existing public rail line to the coal terminal facilities at the Port of Abbot Point and/or the Port of Hay Point (Dudgeon Point expansion), where it will be exported to India to meet the country’s demand for coal. The project is expected to have an operating life of approximately 90 years [2]. The Federal and Queensland state governments support the coal mine on the basis of economic growth and job creation, regardless of the depressed coal market that is seeing declining revenues and coal volumes. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that “Australia's seaborne thermal coal sector is in serious structural decline. This is not cyclical” [3]. The proposal has also been approved in the context of global commitments to address climate change. There is strong opposition to the project from environmental groups on the basis of climate change and impacts on the local and regional environment and threatened species and the Great Barrier Reef. The project was initially approved in October 2015, and then delayed due to a successful legal challenge by the Mackay Conservation Group based on protections of the vulnerable Yakka Skink and Ornamental Snake; a challenge from the Land Services of Coast and Country based on impacts on groundwater and groundwater dependent ecosystems, biodiversity and particularly the Black-throated Finch, contribution to climate change, and that the mine is not viable and contrary to public interest [1]; and the Australian Conservation Foundation regarding the conflict between approving the mine and the Federal government’s obligation to protect the Great Barrier Reef [3]. The Wangan and Jagalingou People registered a claim for native title in 2004 and the land within the claim is affected by the proposal. Adani is therefore required to consult with the Wangan and Jagalingou People, however the Wangan and Jagalingou People have rejected the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) proposed by Adani. The mine has still been approved under the Native Title Act, and the Wangan and Jagalingou People are appealing this in the high court [1]. At this stage, the project is approved and has been deferred until 2017 [4].

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) [1] reports that the mine and onsite infrastructure includes: