Coal news and updates

Qld miners snub state govt over coal taxes

Queensland miners will snub the state government's launch of its industry plan after a hike in coal taxes, while environmental groups plan to attend in protest.

Miners have been paying more royalties on each tonne of coal sold for more than $175 since the start of the new financial year on Friday.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart had been set to release a new 30-year mining industry plan at an event on Monday, but miners will snub him.

The Queensland Resources Council and the Queensland Exploration Council worked on the plan with the government, but they say raising coal taxes had never been discussed.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane says miners no longer believe state government supports their sector.

"The Palaszczuk government has hit the resources sector with a massive tax hike that risks jobs and threatens investment in all Queensland commodities, not just coal," he told AAP in a statement.

"The government's decision to introduce exorbitant new taxes - done behind closed doors and without consultation - has severely undermined any opportunities to achieve this outcome."

Comment has been sought from Resources Minister Scott Stewart.

Treasurer Cameron Dick announced earlier this month that miners would pay more tax on each tonne of coal sold for more than $175.

The move has been welcomed by environment groups, but they too are criticising the 30-year plan over a delay on methane emission cuts from mines until 2027.

Methane can trap more than 82 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, accelerating short-term global warming.

The government's plan says it will work with miners for "substantial and consistent" cuts in line with its pledge to slash emissions 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Nick Holliday said mining methane emissions must be controlled for Queensland to have any hope of meeting its climate targets.

"If the mining industry doesn't reduce its emissions, then other sectors like agriculture and transport will effectively be forced to cut emissions faster to cover for mining," he said in a statement.

"It will mean Queensland businesses doing more while multinational mining giants get off scot-free."

Methane leaking from coal mines and gas fields accounts for about 8.7 per cent of state emissions, according to federal government data.

But it could be two to 10 times higher than that, according to a recent report by British environmental think tank Ember.