Adani's coal mine could hurt endangered bird, Australian court hears

The Land Court of the Australian state of Queensland on Tuesday began hearing a challenge to Indian infrastructure giant Adani's proposed $16.5-billion Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin.

The Court has heard that plans to build Australia's largest coal mine in central Queensland would wipe out the habitat of the world's most significant population of an endangered finch, the Australian Associated Press reported.

Opponents argue that the mine's economic benefits have been overstated and the environmental costs will be significant.

The Carmichael project would be among the largest mines in the world, Saul Holt, counsel for lobby group Coast and Country, told the court.

"The harm it will cause includes the likelihood the nationally significant wetlands of the Doongmabulla Springs, west of the mine, will dry up with the loss of exceptional ecological values," Holt said.

The project would also impact on the endangered black-throated finch and the threatened waxy cabbage palm, Holt said.

Adani argues that the finch population would only have to travel a short distance to relocate.

But there was little evidence and great uncertainty that the loss of habitat could be offset, Holt said.

"If this mine goes ahead, there is a high likelihood of species-threatening harm to the world's most significant population of the endangered black-throated finch," he said.

Holt said the mine, which is expected to export at least 50 million tonnes of coal each year, would make a material contribution to climate change and ocean acidification.

The Carmichael project to be developed by Adani Mining involves open cut and underground coal mining in the north Galilee Basin which will produce 50 million tonnes of thermal coal per year as well as lead to development of 189 km of new rail infrastructure.

The project has an estimated 60-year resource value of $300 billion and at full production is projected to add $2.97 billion to Queensland economy each year, the Australian government said.