Caroona Coal Project

  • Ownership: 100 per cent
  • Products: Thermal coal
  • Location: New South Wales, Australia

In April 2006, the NSW Minister for Mineral Resources awarded the coal exploration licence (PDF 2.0KB) for the Caroona area to BHP Billiton. An exploration licence provides the BHP Billiton Caroona Coal Project team the opportunity to investigate the viability of coal mining within the exploration licence area. See the Location Map.

The exploration program is a three-step process. The initial two years of Regional Exploration has focused on establishing baseline data on a range of environmental measures covering groundwater, surface water, air quality, meteorological conditions, geology and land use.

Currently the project is in the Targeted Exploration phase which will run through to mid 2010.  In addition to the environmental studies mentioned above, additional environmental studies specific to the targeted area now include ecology, Aboriginal archaeology, historic heritage, noise, landscape, soils and geomorphology to determine existing conditions as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Should a suitable resource be identified the studies will move into a specific Project Assessment of a mine proposal.

Throughout this process, BHP Billiton is committed to ongoing stakeholder and community engagement to promote understanding of the exploration process and understand the communities’ issues and concerns in the development approval process.

2009 Caroona Coal Exploration Environmental Management Plan

*Exploration Environmental Management Plan

The Exploration Licence Area

The Caroona Coal Exploration area is located about 50km Southeast of Gunnedah and 30km Northwest of Quirindi. The area covered by the exploration licence is approximately 350km2 and comprises part of the Department of Primary Industries held Authorisation 216.

The Kamilaroi Highway between Gunnedah and Quirindi passes through the eastern part of the exploration licence area, and the Werris Creek-Binnaway Branch railway passes from east to west through the centre of the area. See Exploration Map (PDF 136 KB)

The ELA contains a variety of landform features, with some elevated topography (ridge country) as well as low-lying alluvial sediments (the flood plain) with deep alluvial aquifers underneath parts of the flood plain.

Interim Report to Stakeholders

In August 2008 BHP Billiton released an Interim Report to Stakeholders providing a summary of exploration activities over the previous two years and identifying a 125 square kilometre area within the Exploration Licence Area to be the focus of a targeted exploration program over the following two years.

BHP Billiton made several important statements in the Interim Report:

  • BHP Billiton is not considering open cut mining on any part of the Exploration Licence Area
  • BHP Billiton is not considering long wall mining under the floodplain or the deep alluvial irrigation aquifers
  • BHP Billiton is not considering long wall mining under the Mooki River or the Quirindi Creek
  • BHP Billiton is targeting its exploration generally under the ridge country and away from the alluvial floodplain  

To download a copy of the Interim Report to Stakeholders click here.

Environment & Community/Social Information

The Caroona Project is committed to BHP Billiton's health, safety, environment and community Sustainable Development Policy, Standards and Guidelines.

BHP Billiton is committed to an open and informative consultation process, and encourages all community members to be involved in the community consultation and participation activities.

Initial stages of the consultation have begun and have included discussions with landowners within and around the Exploration Licence area, Walhallow Aboriginal Community, Liverpool Plains Shire Council, Gunnedah Shire Council, and State and Federal Representatives. Consultation has focussed on:

  • Discussing the scope of works involved in the exploration and preliminary assessment phase
  • Building community understanding of BHP Billiton and the approval process
  • Gathering information from land owners, key stakeholders, and the broader community

Community Fund

The BHP Billiton Caroona Coal Project Community Fund is an annual investment of A$1 million for up to five years. The A$5 million consists of both cash and in-kind contributions to the community. The community fund is available to benefit community members of both the Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains Shires.

Following extensive consultation with the local community, five priority focus areas were established for program funding: 

  • Education and Training
  • Indigenous Development
  • Health
  • Community Development
  • Environment

For more information on the Community Fund click here.

Downloads

Presentations Given To Consultative Committee

Community Consultative Committee

A Community Consultative Committee for the Caroona Coal Project has been established to provide a forum to address community concerns and to enable an open communication process between the community and the Caroona Coal Project team during the exploration period.

For further information on the consultative committee please contact:

Garry West
Phone: (61 2) 6362 5646
Fax: (61 2) 6362 7522
Caroona Community Consultative Committee website

Links

Contact Details

Further information on the Caroona Coal Project can be obtained by contacting:

Stephen David
General Manager Caroona Coal Project
Phone: 1800 216 266
Email: CaroonaCoalProject@BHPBilliton.com