May 19, 2018 - One of the Australia's biggest mining moguls has proposed a new coal mine which would be double the size of Adani's controversial scheme.

Clive Palmer wants to develop a new coal mine in central Queensland south of the highly disputed Carmichael mine.

Clive Palmer

Photo by AAP

Waratah Coal will know if they are given the green light by the federal environment to develop the Alpha North Coal Mine Project by Monday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The proposed mine, which is expected to produce 80 million tonnes of thermal coal annually, would have an 'initial life' of 30 years.

Alpha North would be the 'largest project' of its kind for Australia, making it triple the Carmichael mine at 144,000 hectares if it is built more than 440km west of Rockhampton. 

The businessman's new mine is expected to produce 33 percent more coal then neighboring Indian project, according to ABC News. 

The former politician's project would reportedly mine up to 1.4 billion tonnes of coal and would include a rail network to Abbot Point, according to the mine's website.

Another five mines in the Galilee basin area have been approved by the federal environment however the heated Adani mine has faced delays.

The controversial mines have been slammed by Australian Marine Conservation Society's Imogen Zethoven who told ABC News they 'can't be allowed to go ahead'.

'The Minister should reject it outright. The Great Barrier Reef can't afford Adani's Carmichael mine, let alone Clive Palmer's monster mine, after two unprecedented coral bleaching events,' she said.  

The Carmichael coal mine, which will be the biggest coal mine in Australia if Palmer's mine is not approved, was first announced in 2010 but has since hit several road blocks.  

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