To Facts on Coal Mining

Moolarben Coal Mine

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Moolarben Coal Project includes
3 open-cut pits and 14 underground long wall panels It is the third coal mine in the Ulan -Wollar, north of Mudgee (upper Hunter Valley NSW)

  • Stage One is the largest new coal mine in NSW (Stage 2 & 3 also planned)
  • Contributor to climate change with the production of 12MT ROM coal per year - ie 25- 3o million tonnes of CO2 per year.
  • Mining will come within 80m of the Goulburn River and 450 m of the river gorges
  • Long walls mining extends beneath saturated sandstone aquifers (groundwater)
  • Threatens regionally significant cultural heritage landscape and biodiversity-

Commonwealth Government approved the Moolarben Coal Mine proposal while in caretaker mode (OCT 2007) under the EPBC Act despite clearing of over 65ha of Critically Endangered Ecological Communities.

White Box-YellowBox-Blakely's Red Gum Woodlands and nationally listed endangered mammals.
List of Threatened Species

NSw Governemnt under Minister Sartor approved this mine. The100 conditions of approval do not set clear standards or specific requirements to ensure the long term protection of the groundwater system and Goulburn River flow, the sandstone gorges, and natural heritage sites.They require the proponent (the mine) to monitor damage and establish trigger levels for investigating adverse impacts on the environment and submit a response plan to offset or mitigate adverse impacts. This is basically self-regulation.

Independent Hearing Assessment Panel - Downloads
 Full Report - IHAP findings
Appendum - Mackie Environmental Research
Dept Planning Conditions of Approval

Proposal title: Moolarben Coal Project
Description: Construction and operation of an open-cut and underground coal mining operation and associated infrastructure.
Location: 40km northeast of Mudgee, east of the village of Ulan in central west NSW
Local Government Area: Mid-Western Regional Council
Approval Authority: Minister for Planning
Relevant Legislation: Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Proponent: Moolarben Coal Mines Pty Limited
Status: Application made on 20 December 2005
Application Number: 05_0117
Documents available: Project Application, Project Description Document (8.37mb) Environmental Assessment Requirements (101k)
Further inquiries: Dinuka Govinnage (02 9228 6436)

  • Stage one is the largest new coal mine in NSW (Stages 2 & 3 extensions to the east and under the river to the north)
  • Mining operations expected to extend across 3450 hectares consisting of 3 open cuts occupying land area of 1,120 hectares and an underground mine covering an area of 980 hectares
  • Contributor to climate change with the production of 12MT ROM coal per year - enough coal to produce approximately 3o million tonnes of greenhouse pollution per year.
  • Mining will breach and ultimately destroy the valuable and extensive groundwater and river system associated with the Goulburn River
  • mine modelling indicates up to 27ML/day water inflow to mine
  • Pumping from underground mine lowers ground water up to 20 kilometres away and with long lasting effects on the upper Triassic aquifers for over 45 years after mining
  • Mine predicts 6.9 Million L/day of water make
  • Riparian forest ecosystems threatened by lowering of groundwater (Triassic aquifer) that provide essential base flow to the Goulburn River
  • Threatens regionally significant cultural heritage landscape - underground mine places unacceptable pressure on site nominated for listing on national trust register (ie Goulburn River Gorge including the Drip)
  • Long wall extraction of 4.5m band of coal
  • 2.44 m 'subsidence' predicted to collapse land surface in bend of river 250m from Goulburn River gorge and over significant sandstone escarpments
  • Includes plans for Ultra Clean Coal (sic) plant to be built on site plus 'secret' power station part of EL special conditions
  • Open Cut operations occupy 1,120 ha, with 416.6 ha remnant native forest cleared, including over 65ha of Ecologically Endangered Communities. The current 2:1 'offset' is inconsistent with clearing regulations applying to farmers.
  • Involve 2MT/year of coal transported by rail through Mudgee Gulgong to Lithgow (=4 trains per day)
  • Vehicles movements up to 190-200 vehicles/hour on Ulan Cassilis Road (MR 214) and 170 vehicles per hour on Cope Road (MR 598)
  • Infrastructure sited directly adjacent to Bora Creek and
    Goulburn River with added risk of polluton from UCC plant
  • Approximately 12ML diesel per year for mining, estimate of 382,620,000Kg CO2 gas produced
  • Reject material considered high acid (ie Acid Rock Drainage) implications for storage in mined voids and future acid drainage from open cut areas.
  • Report is inconsistent and inadequate e.g. Timeline for the rehabilitation of open cut area is unrealistic, overall plans sketchy, with no detail. Inadequate consultation and recognition of significant cultural landscape nor extensive damage to aboriginal heritage including cave shelters & rock art

Ulan Coal Mine - see www.ulancoal.com.au

To be updated.

Proposal title: Wilpinjong Coal Project
Description: The proposal involves the construction and operation of an open cut mine and associated facilities, including: extraction of up to 13 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal a year for a period of 21 years; a coal handling and preparation plant capable of processing up to 8.5 million tonnes of coal a year; a rail spur and rail loop off the Gulgong-Sandy Hollow railway line; rail and train loading infrastructure; transportation of product coal to market via rail; and rehabilitation and revegetation of the site.
Location: 40km northeast of Mudgee, near the village of Wollar , NSW.
Local Government Area: Mid-Western Regional Council
Application Lodged : 13 September 2005
Application No: 05_0021
Approval Authority: Minister for Planning
Relevant Legislation: Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Proponent: Wilpinjong Coal Pty Ltd
Application: Project Application , Project Application Map , Project Location
Environmental Assessment Requirements: Environmental Assessment Requirements (6MB)
Environmental Assessment: Project overview http://www.excelcoal.com.au/community/wilpinjongeis.htm
Response to Submissions: Response to Submissions
Draft Statement of Commitments: Draft Statement of Commitments
Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel: Under Section 75G(1) (a) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 , the Minister has directed that a Panel of Experts be constituted to assess the following aspects of the Wilpinjong Coal Project: surface water impacts; groundwater impacts; flora and fauna impacts; and vegetation offsets and the rehabilitation of the mine.
The panel comprises of: Mr Allen Kearns (Chair); Mr Hugh Middlemis; and Mr Ross Hardie. The panel received written submissions relevant to its terms of reference until the 28 October 2005 , and hold a round table panel meeting in Mudgee from 9 November 2005 .
Notice of Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel.doc
Report of the Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel for the Wilpinjong Coal Project
Further Enquiries: Mike Young (02 9228 6481)