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Mining And The Environment

Caring for the environment

The protection of the Illawarra and Wollondilly regions’ fragile environment is one of the highest priorities of Illawarra Coal as it undertakes its mining activities.

Although the majority of the Company’s activities are underground, sometimes there are impacts on the surface which need to be anticipated, minimized and managed and Illawarra Coal is committed to being as environmentally conscious as possible.
Major considerations are:

• Air and noise pollution
• The impact of mining on land values, vegetation and wildlife
• Rehabilitation of land to its natural state when mining ends
• Minimisation of land subsidence following underground mining

While adhering to Government requirements is a given and goes well beyond compliance, Illawarra Coal takes its commitment to environmentally sound mining practices even further, by setting up such facilities as:

• WestVAMP, the world’s first power plant fuelled by the methane in mine ventilation air
• The $6 million Appin West Water Treatment Plant which recycles onsite water and reduced the site’s fresh water consumption along with the salinity level and quantity of discharges from the mine into the Nepean River.
• Coal washing facilities which minimise coal dust
• The setting up of Community Call lines to residents can report any concerns
• Setting up methane gas engine power plants at Appin and Appin West to generate up to 440,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year on drained mine methane alone – with the resulting power exported to the State grid.
• Development of energy savings actions plans at Appin, Appin West, West Cliff and Port Kembla Coal Terminal

We also liaise with the community, environmental organisations and government groups to keep the lines of communication open.

Mining near rivers

Illawarra Coal operates mines in and around a variety of geographical features as well as infrastructure associated with transport and utilities. However, we have no current plans to longwall mine directly beneath rivers.

In a demonstration of its commitment to ensure no significant impacts to water ways, Illawarra Coal modified its mine layout for the Appin West Mine to avoid longwall mining directly beneath the Nepean River. Coal mining conducted in each NSW coal mining region (Northern, Southern and Western coal fields) is significantly different and each has very different issues associated with subsidence. The unique nature of each area is taken into account in the mine planning process.

These variables also determine the level and type of subsidence management required. Potential subsidence impacts are site specific.

Subsidence management

Illawarra Coal  has for some time been committed to a three-pronged approach to dealing with the potential effects of its longwall mining in the Wollongong and Wollondilly regions – prevention (which is considered in planning and applications prior to mining), mitigation to avoid damage (prior to and during mining) and rehabilitation to repair damage (post mining). However, the intensity of mitigation works for man-made structures, in particular, has increased in recent times as the company moves its mining activities progressively west and north west from the area of Appin and Douglas Park., where subsidence has the potential to affect more populated areas and significant infrastructure.

Subsidence, in the context of underground mining, is the lowering of the Earth's surface due to collapse of bedrock and unconsolidated materials (sand, gravel, silt, and clay) above underground mined areas. In longwall mining, the mine roof collapses as coal is removed; a collapse which moves progressively to the surface, leading to a subsidence of the ground surface. Natural environment and man-made structures are subject to the subsidence impacts depending on the extent of the subsidence.

In its mining activities within the Illawarra and Wollondilly regions, Illawarra Coal has a successful track record of mitigating the effects of subsidence on gas pipelines which supply all of Sydney, water pipelines which provide the Campbelltown water supply, roads (the Hume Highway, Appin-Campbelltown road and local roads), railways (the main Sydney to Melbourne line), telecommunications cables, high and low voltage powerlines and various other structures.

The prediction of mine subsidence is very important during the planning stages of any underground mining operation.  Mitigation works lessen the severity of the potential effects of subsidence while mining is in progress. They are usually conducted by the owner of the particular infrastructure in partnership with the Mine Subsidence Board, and assisted by Illawarra Coal. 

Such mitigation works might include supporting gas and water pipelines and even strengthening bridges. For example, work has been conducted by the RTA in conjunction with Illawarra Coal on the Twin Bridges on the Hume Highway as a precautionary measure.

With longwall mining due to commence in Area 7 last October, the Roads and Traffic Authority started preparation work mid 2007 to adjust the bearings of the Twin Bridges above the Nepean River near Douglas Park, as a precautionary measure in relation to that longwall mining activity.

The work followed extensive investigations by expert engineers engaged by the RTA. Although impacts on the bridges were not expected, the RTA deemed it appropriate and timely to take the opportunity to conduct the works, which will increase the bearing movement capability of the bridges.

Rehabilitation

Illawarra Coal has long been committed to environmentally sound mining practices, and the focus on maintaining the natural environment as close as possible to its pre-mining state and meeting the expectation of the community that this will be done, has never been quite so strong.

The company is careful to follow strict government guidelines and requirements relating to rehabilitation and is proud that it works closely with stakeholders to ensure minimal disruptions and a high level of satisfaction to residents and public who could be affected by the works.

At the end of the 2005-2006 financial year, the company had invested $3 million on rehabilitation works on six of its former mine sites and across the city escarpment in its biggest year of rehabilitation work yet.

In that year the company focussed on restoring and or rehabilitating Old Bulli mine, Corrimal mine’s number two shaft, Nebo mine’s one and two shafts, PK2, Kemira, the Illawarra escarpment and Elouera and had planned work at Wongawilli shaft and Southern Entries for the 2006-2007 financial year.