Adani Mining says legal proceedings brought against it by the Queensland government over claims it provided false or misleading information in an annual return for its Carmichael Mine is about an "administration error".
The Department of Environment and Science announced on Tuesday it had started prosecution proceedings against the Indian mining company for allegedly contravening the Environmental Protection Act by providing false or misleading information.
The prosecution relates to information in its 2017/2018 annual return for the mine.
"The annual return requires information about planned and actual disturbance of land at the mine," a spokesman for the department said in a statement.
Adani Australia CEO Lucas Dow speaks at a press conference at the company's office in Brisbane. The Queensland government has started prosecution. Source: AAP
"The department alleges that Adani's annual return contained false and misleading information about the disturbance already undertaken at the mine during the annual return period."
The matter is listed for mention at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 16.
The proceedings do not relate to the recent approval of the mine.
Adani says the department's prosecution is over an "administrative error" which was self-reported in September 2018.
There is no environmental harm and all relevant works were "legal and fully complied with our project conditions", an Adani spokeswoman said in a statement.
The company will assess documents related to the prosecution in consultation with the department and participate in relevant legal processes required to resolve the matter, she said.
"Improvements to internal processes were introduced at the time the administrative error was discovered and reported by us to ensure paperwork errors of this nature are avoided in the future."
Protesters opposing to the construction of the Adani coal mine block a main road in Southbank during a rally in Brisbane. Source: AAP
Adani says disturbance to land on their mining lease caused by permitted activities such as clearing of land for drill pads and access tracks for six groundwater test bores and five groundwater monitoring bores were not included in the return.
The land on which it happened is on a pastoral lease owned by Adani.
Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Christian Slattery said Adani "cannot be trusted to operate safely in Australia".
