Australian govt rejects coal mine application

The Australian government has for the first rejected a coal mining application based on environmental law.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced on Wednesday prevents the Central Queensland Coal Project being excavated northwest of the Queensland state town of Rockhampton and less than 10 kilometers from the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast Australian coast. The open cut mine would have had the capacity to excavate 10 million metric tons of coal a year for 25 years.