QCoal’s million metres breaks new ground in exploration

An interview with Christopher Wallin, QCoal Group

QCoal Group is an independent Queensland-based company that has been active in coal exploration, discovery and development for over 30 years. While the group is well known for opening several new mines in the northern Bowen Basin, QCoal is proud of its beginnings as a small exploration company. In 2019 the QCoal exploration team drilled its millionth meter of exploration drill hole in the Bowen Basin.

While mine openings and the contribution of coal exports to the economy often grab headlines, both are built on the back of years of scientific exploration. We had an opportunity to learn more from Christopher Wallin, Managing Director of QCoal Group, about how QCoal has achieved the incredible milestone of the millionth meter.

A million meters of exploration drilling is a huge achievement. Can you explain the process of drilling an exploration hole for those of us unfamiliar with it?

There is a lot of work that happens before drilling in any exploration program – engaging with property owners, cultural heritage and extensive desktop and ground studies. We conduct drilling as part of an advanced exploration program. The drilling method deployed depends on the type of rock and the information sought.

The degree of disturbance around the hole varies with each method, and strict environmental safeguards ensure drill sites are rehabilitated after the completion of drilling. At QCoal we deploy truck-mounted rigs and a combination of air drilling (for chip holes) and diamond drilling (for core holes).

In all drill holes, the loose soil or weathered rock at the top is ‘cased off’ with PVC or steel pipe to stop caving of loose material into the drill hole. It’s important to appreciate how challenging drilling can be, in particular, if part of the core is lost or becomes stuck in the hole. Also, surface sand or gravel can make the task of setting the casing very difficult.

Our drilling contractors are a critical part of our exploration team. Many have worked with us for over 20 years and have an amazing knowledge of the geology we work with.

You are clearly passionate about coal exploration, but it seems like an expensive and difficult process. What prompted your decision to start your own business?

I started my career with the Coal Section of the Queensland Mines Department conducting exploration programs across Queensland. Once I left the Government, I worked for a small mining company managing their exploration programs. After many years, it prompted me to start my own business so I could focus on exploration in the Bowen Basin.

I saw large, public companies make decisions about exploration that were often made for financial reasons, meaning the focus was generally on short-term results. Whenever there was a downturn in the coal price, the exploration team would be amongst the first to lose their jobs. I felt that they were missing many large discoveries because they didn’t spend time to really understand the geology.

At QCoal, we have a world-class exploration team. What people often miss when new mines open is how many years of exploration and scientific research go into that moment. We ensure the geology of a deposit drives our approach. It may take longer to understand a deposit fully, but that is why we have been able to discover deposits that others have missed.

How has the QCoal approach to geology impacted on the business?

I think achieving the milestone of a million meters of exploration drill hole answers that question. For an independent, Queensland company to achieve a million meters of exploration drilling demonstrates our commitment to exploration in all economic conditions. As far as I am aware, we are the only company in the Queensland coal industry who has maintained our geological team throughout that period and continued with an uninterrupted exploration program.

This has certainly meant challenges. Exploration is expensive, and the odds of discovering large, undeveloped, open-cut coal deposits located in close proximity to infrastructure in the Bowen Basin are very slim. New discoveries are typically small and generally in structurally challenging coal measures.

We undertook an exercise to try and calculate those odds some years back. We looked at all of the exploration projects in Queensland over a 20-year period and worked out the likelihood of them transitioning to operating mines. Fewer than 1% made the transition.

The QCoal team has been exploring in the Bowen Basin for over 30 years. What changes have you seen in exploration over that period?

As is the case across the mining industry, the past three decades have seen a very positive increased focus on safety in exploration. Technological improvements have also meant our exploration team can locate and map drill sites and model geological data much more quickly than was historically possible.

Now that you have several mines operating, will QCoal continue to invest in exploration in Queensland?

Our geological team are actively exploring today and will continue to do so. The tenure regime has changed so that areas for coal exploration cannot be simply applied for any longer. Rather the Government periodically offers areas for expressions of interest and this is a much slower process. Fortunately, we have a number of highly prospective areas to keep our team busy for now.

We often hear that there is a shortage of exploration geologists. How are you dealing with this?

Across the board, there are fewer and fewer students studying geology, and within that shrinking cohort there are very few who go on to be exploration geologists. The challenge is that exploration geology is a very specific skill set, and it can be difficult to train someone who doesn’t have a passion for it.

Our geological team are passionate about scientific discovery and mapping the earth’s geology. We need to ensure we capture an accurate picture of the geology premining because this is the geological history of the planet that can’t be replicated. We are fortunate that our team has been stable across the last 30 years, allowing us to preserve our geological understanding in-house.

We also maintain external networks with various universities and the Geological Society to support the profession. We also support students in geology and other scientific disciplines through the QCoal Foundation Scholarship with James Cook University.

How has your experience as a geologist informed other parts of your life?

The first time I travelled in regional and remote Queensland for any real length of time was as a young geologist. There was much time spent working alone in the bush or working with a drill rig and a small team in hot and challenging circumstances. I love the natural landscapes in Queensland, but the isolation was always a factor, and we had to be careful because if you are injured on an exploration program, you are generally a long way from help.

I think this experience has really informed both my respect for the individuals that live and work on the land, as well as my keen awareness of the varying levels of availability of services in rural and remote communities. As a result, I have been a long-term supporter of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Queensland. I also harnessed this experience in my role as Chair of the QCoal Foundation and really champion programs that bring additional services to regional communities, like the RFDS Dental Service. 