What's the story with Abbot Point

WHAT IS THE ABBOT POINT COAL TERMINAL?

- Abbot Point is a coal port about 25km north of Bowen in north Queensland

- Indian mining giant Adani is leasing the terminal from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation for 99 years

- The port currently ships about 50 million tonnes of coal per year

- Adani wants to build a second jetty to ship up to 70 million tonnes per year

- The extra coal would mainly come from their proposed Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin

THE STORY SO FAR

- Environmentalists claim dredging to expand the port will destroy pristine parts of the inshore area and the Great Barrier Reef

- Two plans - one to dump dredge spoil in the marine park and another on land - by the previous Liberal National Party state government failed to gain federal approval

- The current state Labor government's alternative plan, to dump the dredge spoil completely within the port boundaries, was approved by the federal government on Tuesday

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

- Adani must demonstrate financial closure (means) to fund the Carmichael mine and the port expansion to the Queensland government before any construction is allowed

- Conservation group GetUp! has already begun fundraising to challenge the Carmichael coal mine in court.

(Source: North Queensland Bulk Port and AAP)