Grosvenor Mine Reopening Progresses, Q4 Restart in Sight

Anglo American is making steady headway toward reopening its Grosvenor underground coal mine in Queensland, nearly a year after a gas explosion forced a shutdown. While the process remains cautious and safety-led, momentum is clearly building — and a restart as early as Q4 2025 now looks realistic.

⚙️ Re-entry Preparations Near Completion

Since the June 2024 incident, Anglo has deployed advanced remote technology — including thermal drones, laser borehole mapping, and continuous gas monitoring — to assess underground conditions. According to Resources Health & Safety Queensland, the company is now “close to achieving its first phase of re-entry.”

The next step involves controlled re-ventilation of the mine, which would allow for initial in-person safety checks. If successful, this would mark a major turning point and open the door to phased workforce re-entry.

🛡️ Union Still Cautious, but Alignment Growing

The Mining and Energy Union (MEU) continues to restrict member access until it independently confirms that the mine meets safety standards. This precaution aligns with the mine’s prior incident history and the sector’s heightened safety protocols.

Nonetheless, sources suggest that coordination between the union, Anglo, and regulators is improving — raising hopes that limited re-entry could be approved as soon as August or September.

💼 No Deal Contingency, but Strategic Importance Remains

Unlike the Moranbah North mine, Grosvenor’s reopening is not subject to any specific financial contingency in Anglo’s USD 3.78 billion sale of Queensland coal assets to Peabody Energy. However, Grosvenor remains a flagship operation in the package and plays a critical role in the overall value and delivery schedule of the transaction.

While Peabody has flagged potential material adverse impacts related to Moranbah, there is no such clause attached to Grosvenor. That said, successful reopening would strengthen confidence in the overall portfolio and ensure smoother operational transition post-deal.

📅 Timeline: Late 2025 Target Still Holds

Assuming continued regulatory support and no setbacks during re-ventilation or inspections, the following timeline remains a conservative but achievable forecast:

Phase	Estimated Timing
Ventilation & early inspections	July–August 2025
Union-approved phased re-entry	August–September 2025
Longwall operations resume	October–December 2025

This Q4 2025 window aligns with operational goals and provides enough buffer for any minor technical or approval delays.

🔍 Bottom Line

Grosvenor is on track for a cautious but confident return to service. While the process is unfolding in stages and with close oversight, the direction is positive. A late Q4 2025 restart looks increasingly likely — a milestone that would restore a major source of Australian high-grade coking coal and reinforce the value behind Anglo’s exit deal with Peabody.