Home > News > To the moon and beyond: Pembroke’s autonomous technology and environmental commitment is modern mining in action

To the moon and beyond: Pembroke’s autonomous technology and environmental commitment is modern mining in action

01 April 2025 | BBMC Events

The Bowen Basin Mining Club (BBMC) hosted a capacity crowd at its March networking luncheon last week in Mackay, where attendees gained insight into cutting-edge autonomous mining technology at Pembroke Resources’ Olive Downs Complex, an operation so advanced it has attracted the attention of NASA for potential lunar mining applications.

Pembroke Resources Founder, Chairman and CEO Barry Tudor revealed that NASA representatives have visited their Bowen Basin site to study its autonomous mining systems, which include 21 autonomous trucks and three autonomous drills.

“Modern mining is really interesting,” Tudor told attendees. “We had NASA come to site recently, looking to use our learnings from autonomy at Olive Downs to educate themselves on the possibilities for lunar autonomous mining.”

The sold-out event gave attendees a comprehensive overview of how Pembroke has positioned Olive Downs at the forefront of technological innovation in the mining industry, while simultaneously setting new standards for environmental stewardship.

Tudor outlined the company’s journey from acquisition of the Olive Downs site to approvals in 2019, the construction phase, current operations and a look forward to ambitious expansion plans. He spent time highlighting Pembroke’s success in navigating significant challenges along this journey, including shifting legislation, economic uncertainty, and heightened ESG expectations.

Pembroke’s environmental commitment extends well beyond regulatory compliance, with Tudor describing their approach as “passing the pub test” with tangible, visible outcomes. A key success in this space has been the establishment of The Icon Initiative, Queensland’s first Koala and Greater Glider Clinic on site at Olive Downs, conducting research on endangered species in their natural habitat.

“We don’t shy away from the fact that we’re a coal mine, but that doesn’t mean we can’t set new, strong standards,” Tudor explained. “We’d like them to be what I call passing the pub test. You can look at it, you can touch it, you can see it, and when people come to work at site, they can be proud to be working in a place that’s doing the right thing.”

Key environmental initiatives implemented by Pembroke include a four-stage clearing protocol for vegetation removal that topped the Queensland Mining Awards’ Environment category last year, the establishment of 8,000 hectares of conservation areas (with another 12,000 hectares coming soon), and designing operations to avoid using water from natural territories or groundwater. Pembroke is also developing a 10-megawatt solar installation to power operations during daylight hours.

Currently operating at 6 million tonnes per annum, Olive Downs has shipped approximately 3.5 million tonnes of coal to seven countries since commencing production in 2024. The company plans to begin expansion in the coming months, with a target to reach 15 million tonnes within three years.

“When we bought Olive Downs, we knew it had a future as a huge mine. We always envisaged it to be up to a 20 million tonne per annum mine,” said Tudor. “We made the decision to treat it with a lot of respect and to build the first stage with expansion in mind.”

Tudor emphasised the importance of Pembroke’s integrated approach to mining, describing the Olive Downs Complex as a “campus” that encompasses not only mining operations but also conservation areas, cattle grazing, solar power generation, and the innovative wildlife rehabilitation clinic.

“The idea is when someone comes to Olive Downs, they see an integrated mine, not just a coal mine, it’s an integrated complex and to me that’s what modern mining is about,” said Tudor. “We are responsible, we are doing things in an integrated way, and this doesn’t have to be at the expense of profit.”

The company’s contribution to the local economy has been substantial, with $1.2 billion invested before mining commenced, including $700 million in construction that employed 700 people. During the construction phase, $63 million was spent with local and regional suppliers, with ongoing production contributing $20 million annually to regional suppliers. At full scale, the operation is expected to employ more than 1,200 people and contribute over $10 billion in royalties to the Queensland government over the life of the mine.

Looking to the future, Tudor expressed confidence in Pembroke’s expansion plans, noting that the company had secured environmental approvals for the full 20 million tonne capacity for the mine’s projected 79-year lifespan.

The next luncheon in the BBMC’s 2025 Networking Series will be held on Friday, May 30 in Mackay, featuring a panel discussion on the Future of Mining Supply Chain. Tickets will be released next week.