200 jobs to go at Queensland mine

Almost 200 workers will lose their jobs at a central Queensland mine when it closes next year.

Mining giant Glencore has announced plans to close its Newlands underground coal mine at the end of the mine's life in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The thermal coal operation is located west of Mackay in Queensland's northern Bowen Basin.

In a statement on Thursday, the company said 50 jobs would go next month when the last longwall panel is established.

Overall, 196 jobs will be lost when production ends next year.

Glencore investigated whether to extend the mine's life but found it wouldn't be viable.

It will try to redeploy workers.

"We have begun consulting with employees and their representatives with respect to the proposed changes and will continue to provide information at each step of the process," the company's statement said.

Glencore's Newlands open cut coal mine won't be affected.

Earlier this year the Switzerland-based company, which merged with Xstrata last year, announced it would suspend operations at its Ravensworth underground mine in NSW, axing 130 jobs.

The company has laid off 2500 workers from its Australian coal operations in the past two years, largely due to low coal prices and the high Australian dollar.

Last year 450 jobs were cut in a restructure of its Newlands and Oaky Creek complexes.

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