The importance of coal cannot be understated, it powers everything from our homes to our economy. But it does come at a cost to the environment.

That’s why it is great to see our industry at the forefront of sustainable practices. From rehabilitation, decarbonisation, technological innovations, offset land uses, biodiversity and waste management, to providing financial assistance to environmental projects or organisations, the great work coal mining companies are doing that positively impacts the environment often goes under the radar.

HOME IS WHERE THE… WOMBAT IS

Thanks to a partnership between Glencore Coal and the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), a selection of northern hairy-nosed wombats have been released to explore their new home at Powrunna State Forest near St George in south-west Queensland.

Northern hairy-nosed wombats are one of the rarest land mammals in the world.

The multi-million-dollar partnership between Glencore Coal and DESI is helping to establish a new population of the critically endangered species at Powrunna, after successfully growing the population at Epping Forest National Park near Clermont in Central Queensland and establishing a new population at Richard Underwood Nature Refuge, also near St George, in 2009.

Up to 60 wombats will be gradually translocated to the 2800-hectare Powrunna State Forest in the next two-to-three years to create a self-sustaining population.

In preparation for the arrival of the wombats, DESI installed predator-proof fencing around the forest, installed water infrastructure and remote cameras and dug starter burrows to ensure the wombats can immediately find cover.

Glencore has provided a long-term financial commitment to the recovery program, including $2.1 million towards establishing the third population at Powrunna State Forest.

RE-IMAGINING REHABILITATION

The innovative use of drones to boost rehabilitation area growth has proved a success at Capcoal Open Cut Mine.

Drones were used to plant Eucalypt seed pods and spray herbicides in difficult terrain in a controlled rehabilitation area at the mine near Middlemount.

More than 1,000 saplings germinated during the trial, proving drones can be used effectively to revegetate land in areas where high density pasture grass had previously restricted rehabilitation efforts.

Anglo American has more than 8,000 hectares of rehabilitated land across its Australian steelmaking coal operations, with grazing and bushland the main post-mine land uses.

Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Specialist Daniel Perrin said the company used a combination of field monitoring and innovative remote sensing programs to identify rehabilitation areas not achieving desired outcomes.

“Using drones, and other technology, across Anglo American’s Bowen Basin mining operations is a crucial part of how the company is re-imagining mining,” he said.

“The trial of drone seeding is underpinned by our key values, including innovation and safety.

“The opportunity to target seed application through drone technology meant we minimised disturbance to the existing rehabilitation while also minimising potential exposure to hazards for coal mine workers in the field.”

EVERY DROP COUNTS

The BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) is a proud Partner of the Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership, who work to monitor, report, support and improve waterway health in regional Queensland.

In 2024, the group celebrated ten years of environmental leadership in the Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac (MWI) regions.

The Partnership is strongly connected to community, having provided regionally specific data for a decade, and facilitates many additional waterway and sustainability projects.

This year the Partnership has:

• Celebrated ten years of community through the Submerged in our Region waterway art exhibition, part of the Mackay Festival of Arts.
• Supported Traditional Owner participation and cultural knowledge sharing in water quality monitoring in the Whitsundays through Project Blueprint.
• Supported the development of the Koinmerburra Healthy Country Plan.
• Commenced the Healthy Rivers to Reef STEM Innovator Schools program, designed to inspire and engage students in environmental science and STEM careers.
• Released the 10th Waterway Health Report Card for the MWI region.

SNAKES, LIZARDS AND BIRDS – OH MY!

Thanks to Snake and Spider Safety Awareness for Employees, some of Glencore Coal’s Environment and Community graduates were able to complete a hands-on training course in safe fauna capture, ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals and themselves.

With a focus on how to safely and compassionately catch and handle various fauna, the team learnt how to minimise harm to both the animals and themselves, whilst expertly evaluating the animals for injury and providing the appropriate care.

From injury assessments to real-world scenarios, the Glencore Coal graduates are now equipped with the skills and confidence to handle wildlife encounters responsibly.

CUTTING EDGE REHABILATION

Batchfire is proud to have completed 225 hectares of final stage rehabilitation using cutting-edge techniques, as it continues its push to offer sustainable post mining land uses for future generations.

Batchfire Resources is the land manager of more than 17,000 hectares across Queensland’s Callide Basin, with various areas actively used for mining since 1944.

Its Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan offers productive future outcomes including bushland, sustainable grazing, soil reconditioning for carbon sequestration, protected areas of native forestry, and shaping of rehabilitated land for potential renewable energy projects.

In the past the Callide Mine has successfully returned mined areas to bushland featuring native trees and pastoral grasses, some which have matured for over 20 years, and ongoing rehabilitation aims to ensure self-sustaining, stable landforms with rich vegetation, support for local habitat, and reduced erosion through proper drainage.

“We take great pride in the quality of rehabilitation at Callide Mine, an area which has now been utilised as an active coal mine for 80 years,” said Batchfire Resources General Manager ESG and Development, Stuart Schmidt.

“It’s a complex undertaking, using a mix of sustainable land management practices in consultation with stakeholders and leading environmental experts, but we are constantly refining the process to achieve impressive results.”

Rehabilitation of mined land isn’t as simple as pushing some topsoil and spreading some seed, with carefully planned works required including drain construction, rock mulching, topsoil spreading and treatment, ripping, and seeding for bushland growth. 

Much of the earthmoving techniques used are proprietary too, with Batchfire having found ways of doing things ‘better,’ including the design of a custom-fabricated seed box implement. 

“Much of the innovation has been centered around productivity and quality, but there have also been cost and emissions reductions through the careful coordination of earthworks.

“We are excited to share that we have rehabilitated in the last three years just over 225 hectares and are on track to meet – and likely exceed – our target of 345 hectares by 2025 at the Callide Mine.”

LIGHTING THE WAY FOR TURTLES

Design features at the North Queensland Export Terminal north of Bowen are ensuring turtle hatchlings see the light as nature intended.

Abbot Point Operations manages the operations and maintenance of the multi-billion-dollar facility and has incorporated “turtle-friendly” amber lighting on terminal infrastructure visible from the ocean, to allow hatchlings a smoother path to the sea.

General Manager Damien Dederer said the specially designed lighting was just one example of how smart thinking and smart technology supported ecosystems to thrive around an operating port.

“The North Queensland Export Terminal is one of Queensland’s busiest ports, exporting about the same total volumes as the Port of Brisbane did in the last Financial Year,” Damien said.

“The greater Port of Abbot Point area is also home to green and flatback sea turtles and these species return annually to use nearby beaches for nesting.

“Caring for the environment is a core part of our commitment to the safe and efficient operation of the North Queensland Export Terminal so we have installed turtle-friendly amber coloured light rather than white light on the Terminal’s infrastructure.

“This minimises the potential for our operations to interfere with nature and is a great example of how to deliver environmental benefits alongside a high traffic port.”

Moonlight plays an important role in turtle breeding behaviour and the early instincts of hatchlings.

Sea turtles avoid nesting on beaches that are too brightly lit and new hatchlings can become disorientated and unable to find the ocean where artificial light sources create interference.

Turtle hatchlings emerge from nests at night and make their way towards the sea using moonlight reflecting off the ocean. The special lighting used at the North Queensland Export Terminal minimises impacts on the hatchlings’ first journey.

The lights are also placed in areas to prevent glow encroaching into nearby habitats and the amber lighting is beneficial to the movement and behaviour of other wildlife including echidnas and migratory birds.

The project was implemented through a partnership with both the Queensland Government and local community stakeholders.

MILESTONE FOR METALLURGICAL COAL

Fitzroy and Carbon Logica have successfully completed Stage 1 of the Ironbark Waste Coal Mine Gas Power Station, located at Fitzroy’s new metallurgical coal mine in Moranbah.

The Ironbark facility is designed to abate fugitive methane emissions by converting waste coal mine gas into electricity and marks a significant milestone in Carbon Logica’s mission to reduce methane emissions from metallurgical coal mining as well as Fitzroy’s commitment to drive innovation for a more sustainable future. 

Stage 1 of the power station has a generation capacity of 5MW and will expand to 20MW in the next stage. Once expanded, the facility will produce enough electricity to power approximately 35,000 households each year, while also reducing emissions by over 90,000 tonnes of CO2e annually.

Managing Director of Carbon Logica, Scott Barker, said the commissioning of Ironbark is a significant step forward to abate methane emissions within the metallurgical coal industry.

“This is the first stage of a larger abatement project designed to beneficially utilise the waste methane gas that is produced as part of the mining process and reduce emissions through three key elements.

“The power station will produce electricity for no additional emissions making it net zero or net-negative.

“It will also create a use case of the waste product that would typically be flared, or worst case vented into the atmosphere. This turns a waste product into a commodity that is sold into the power station asset.

“In turn, the ability to create value from the waste product encourages more drainage ahead of mining which leads to lower emissions in the ventilation air (VAM).”

Fitzroy’s Chief Executive Officer, Dan Clifford, said the project is a milestone for Fitzroy.

“This is the first operational emissions abatement project since the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms were introduced.

“Fitzroy is proud to have supported this project’s development with Carbon Logica and help contribute to both environmental sustainability and energy security.”