Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk

Underground coal mine closures have been the primary driver of fugitive emissions reductions in Australia's coal sector, as a small number of 'super-emitting' mines contribute a disproportionate share of total emissions. While strategic investments in methane capture have helped, most reductions resulted from the closure of older mines or safety-related shutdowns. However, the document warns that 27 proposed projects and recent license extensions, such as for the Narrabri mine, threaten to undermine national and state climate targets.

• Underground coal mining is responsible for approximately two-thirds of all fugitive emissions from coal mines in Australia, despite accounting for only about 15% of total coal production.
• A small number of 'super-emitting' underground mines drive the majority of emissions; in Queensland, four large underground mines contribute up to one-third of all estimated scope 1 emissions in the coal sector, while in NSW, six underground mines produced more than half of all reported scope 1 emissions in 2023 despite representing only 14% of the state's overall coal production.
• The most significant reductions in fugitive emissions have resulted from the closure of older, high-emitting mines—such as Coalcliff (1992), Dartbrook (2007), and Austar (2020)—and partial closures due to methane-related safety incidents at mines like Appin, North Goonyella, and Grosvenor.
• Strategic investments in methane capture can reduce fugitive emissions by 70-80%; for example, Anglo American invested over USD $100 million per year in infrastructure, reporting a capture and mitigation rate of up to 60% of potential methane emissions last year compared to a 2019 baseline.
• Future emissions reductions are threatened by 27 proposed coal mining projects not yet in forward estimates, as well as specific expansions and extensions including the Narrabri mine (extended to 2044), the Lake Vermont Meadowbrook project, and the Tahmoor coal mine.

APA

Ember (2025). Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/underground-coal-mine-closures-a-historic-win-but-future-risk/

Chicago

Ember. Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk. 2025. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/underground-coal-mine-closures-a-historic-win-but-future-risk/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk |date=27 March 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/underground-coal-mine-closures-a-historic-win-but-future-risk/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2025underground, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/underground-coal-mine-closures-a-historic-win-but-future-risk/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }