Australia’s National Environmental Protection Agency has approved an extension of the Saraji open-cut mine in Queensland, operated by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, allowing a further 55 million tonnes of steelmaking coal to be extracted between now and 2055. It is the agency’s first approval of a coal project since it began operations on July 1, 2026.
The approval includes conditions intended to protect threatened-species habitats and water resources. The Climate Council estimated that using the coal overseas for steelmaking could generate about 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the mine’s remaining life, although this is the organisation’s estimate.



