Our History
More than 100 years of innovation
For over 100 years our business has been developing and maturing based upon five core principles established by our founder Sazo Idemitsu.
Origins (1907–1945)
Sazo’s five guiding principles of working with respect, integrity and dignity have shaped our path for over a century.
Idemitsu was founded in 1911 by Sazo Idemitsu
1907
- Muswellbrook mine commences operations in NSW
- Directors and senior executives in No. 1 underground mine at Muswellbrook
1911
- Sazo Idemitsu founded Idemitsu in Moji, Japan on 20 June 1911
- Sazo Idemitsu (“Tenshu”)
1911
- Idemitsu has its first shipment of lubricant oil (Higashi-Honmachi 2-chome, Moji)
1944
- Muswellbrook mine commences open cut mining operations (first open cut mine in the southern hemisphere)
1945
- After losing nearly all of its business in World War II, Idemitsu calls all employees to rebuild the company
- Idemitsu employees collecting oil from the bottom of Navy Tanks in Hokkaido, Japan
Early years (1978–2010)
Our coal mining history has contributed to the economic growth of local communities and meeting global energy demand.
Our mining history
1978
- Idemitsu opens an Australian office in Sydney
1984
- Idemitsu acquires the Ensham exploration tenement
1988
- Idemitsu acquires the Ebenezer mining tenement in QLD and a 25% interest in the Boggabri tenement in NSW
1989
- Idemitsu acquires Muswellbrook Mine
1989
- P&H 2800 Shovel at Muswellbrook Mine
1990
- Mining operations commence at Ebenezer mine in QLD
1991
- Idemitsu acquires the remaining 75% interest in the Boggabri tenement
1993
- Ensham Open Cut commences operation
- Dragline 1 in operation at Ensham mine
1993
- Ensham mine commences Nogoa pastoral operations
1998
- Idemitsu acquires the West Muswellbrook “Rosehill” exploration licence
1999
- Idemitsu relocates its Australian head office from Sydney to Brisbane
- Idemitsu acquires the West Muswellbrook “Castlerock” exploration licence
2002
- Idemitsu’s Ebenezer mine in QLD ceases production
2006
- Boggabri Mine and Tarrawonga Mine in NSW commence production
- Truck and excavator operations at Boggabri mine
2008
- Flooding of pits at Ensham Mine results in an enormous recovery effort by our people
- Dragline 1 in the flooded pits at Ensham mine
2011
- Ensham Underground Mine commences operation
- Underground mining portal development
Now and into the future (2012+)
Through our decarbonisation journey we are committed to a sustainable future.
Working towards target carbon neutrality by 2050
2012
- Boggabri mine achieves considerable results with its post mining rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation at Boggabri mine
2013
- Idemitsu pro-actively engages with our communities
- The Boggabri pre-school children visit the Boggabri mine
2013
- Ensham Mine reaches 100 million tonnes mined
2014/15
- Idemitsu introduces partners into the Boggabri coal project joint venture
- Joint venture partners (Chugoku Electric Power Australia Resources and Nippon Steel Boggabri) and other delegates are welcomed at the Boggabri expansion opening ceremony
2015
- Completion of the Boggabri Mine infrastructure expansion
2015
- Idemitsu Coal Marketing Australia commences trading
- Coal being loaded at the Port of Gladstone
2016
- Idemitsu’s Muswellbrook mine supports local schools in the Co-AG learning venture
- Idemitsu provides access to land for students in the agricultural education program at St Joseph’s High School in Aberdeen, NSW
2017
- Idemitsu sponsors the Muswellbrook and Gunnedah Girls Academies, supporting Indigenous girls in school based engagement programs
- Students from the Girls Academies (Muswellbrook and Gunnedah) visit Japan
2017
- Idemitsu sponsors the Japan Australia ONE ASIA concert in QLD and NSW
2018
- Idemitsu receives the President Award for ‘Best Performance Contribution’
2018/22
- Muswellbrook receives Idemitsu Kosan Zero Accident and Injury “Bronze Award” in 2018 and “Silver Award” in 2022
- Idemitsu strives for the highest safety measures across all our sites
2019
- Idemitsu invests in sustainable energy development through renewables projects
- Idemitsu partners with AGL on feasibility study for a pumped hydroelectric storage facility at the Muswellbrook mine
2021
- Company name change from Idemitsu Australia Resources to Idemitsu Australia
- Ensham achieves the largest area of open cut coal mining rehabilitation in Queensland
- Boggabri mine funds the construction of the Boggabri Early Learning Facility
2021/22
- Several major flood events impact Boggabri mine site
2022
- After 115 years, last coal is mined at Muswellbrook mine
- Closure of Ensham open cut mining operation
2022/23
- Idemitsu begins to diversify its energy portfolio through investments in Critical Minerals Group (CMG), Vecco Group and Delta Lithium
2023/24
- Idemitsu Australia sells its interest in Ensham Resources and Nogoa Pastoral
- 80,000 seedlings are planted as part of Boggabri mine’s biodiversity offset commitment
- West Muswellbrook is sold as part of the strategy to target carbon neutrality by 2050
2024
- Idemitsu invests in Graphinex Pty Ltd, a privately held graphite battery anode company
Be part of the team
Idemitsu Australia has a proud history spanning more than 45 years. Our unique fusion of Japanese and Australian culture means working with us is unlike working at any other local mining company. If that sounds like something you’d like to part of, contact us to find out more.