Adani's Carmichael coal mine is once again in limbo after the state government knocked back a key environmental plan.
Last week Adani Australia met officials from the state's Department of Environment and Science, who said the company's management plan for the endangered black-throated finch was not up to scratch.
The Carmichael mine site in central Queensland hosts one of the largest black-throated finch populations in Australia.
Adani is also waiting for the state environment department to tick its groundwater management plan, which was approved in controversial circumstances by the federal government earlier this year.
Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow said the company was "working feverishly" to meet the state government's requirements.
"Although we believe the current version of the black-throated finch management plan already meets our project conditions, we are not going to be pig-headed about it and we will review the feedback from the Queensland department and respond accordingly."
Adani has criticised the state government for what the company sees as a lack of clarity and certainty throughout the approvals process.
"...department officials have refused to commit to a timeframe to finalise the plan, even if we were to accept the state's new round of requests in full," Mr Dow said.
"At what point does the Environment Minister get held to account for the performance of her own department and its behaviour?"
Adani said its black-throated finch management plan had already undergone seven revisions, and the state government kept shifting the goalposts on what was needed to get it across the line.
"We are not unreasonable and we will continue to work with the Queensland government to finalise these plans.
"We've jumped all their past hurdles and we'll jump this one as well, but it's time for the Queensland Labor government to give us a date on finalising these outstanding management plans once and for all.
"We are not going away and we will see this through for the benefit of Queensland and in particular for the people in regional Queensland."
The state department's decision is the latest turn in an Adani saga that is sitting at the forefront of the federal election.
The Coalition government has been accused of rushing through approvals in response to political pressure, while Labor critics say the party is divided on the issue.
Mining jobs are a key theme for a number of pivotal federal seats in central and northern Queensland.
However, some Queensland producers are concerned about the impact of Carmichael and other coal mines on groundwater security in the region.
