COMMUNITY GARDEN TAKES ROOT

Glencore Coal’s United Wambo Joint Venture operation was proud to support Singleton Neighbourhood Centre in the construction of their Community Garden.

The Community Garden was constructed with assistance from United Wambo JV and volunteers of the Singleton Neighbourhood Centre.

The garden will provide opportunities for clients to learn about growing their own produce at home, preservation of produce for future use as well as provide a sustainable source of ingredients for The Open Door to prepare meals for those going through tough times.

COMING HOME TO ROOST

Wilpingjong Mine have invested $40,000 in an innovative new support structure to ensure the entrance to an old oil shale mine that a large colony of microbats use as a temporary roosting site remains open.

The colony includes the threatened Eastern Horseshoe and the Large Bent-Winged bats. The entrance is 150 metres from an approved mining area at the coal mine near Mudgee.

Wilpinjong Mine’s Environment and Community Manager Kieren Bennetts said employees designed and installed the box shaped steel structure with help from two of Australia’s leading bat experts. He said it has fewer safety and environmental risks than traditional methods to secure unsupported roofs and entry ways such as shotcreting and rock, mesh and structure bolting.

The structure’s initial 900mm opening was enlarged last year to 1200mm.

“We made the change after our team’s ongoing monitoring showed some bats were still using an open space above the culvert rather than the steel pipe installed for the bats to safely enter and exit the roost if the surrounding area collapses.

“In great news, our monitoring, including a live video stream, shows the bats are all actively using the new structure.”

A SUNNY FUTURE AHEAD

Idemitsu Australia continues to advance its renewable energy goals with the development of a 5MW solar PV facility adjacent to its Boggabri mine, on a property known as Merriown.

The solar farm will be directly connected to the mine’s electrical network with up to 5MW of electricity available for use on site, allowing it to power the entire mine during the day. This will significantly reduce Scope 2 carbon emissions by eliminating the mine’s reliance on grid electricity, marking an important step toward Idemitsu’s decarbonisation targets and its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Construction is set to commence in Q4 2024, with completion targeted by mid-2025. While the project will not directly supply energy to the national grid, studies are underway to export surplus green electricity in the future. Additionally, future project plans may include battery storage to optimise the output of the solar farm, which has the potential to amplify the facility’s environmental and economic benefits.

The project reflects Idemitsu’s commitment to decarbonisation and a broader shift from traditional coal mining to critical minerals and renewable energy ventures. In addition to reducing emissions, the solar farm will create local employment opportunities during construction and operations, contributing to regional economic growth. Idemitsu is also investigating potential for integrating green electricity into diesel avoidance projects, such as powering electric mine equipment.

The Merriown Solar Farm demonstrates Idemitsu’s dedication to sustainability and innovation and represents a critical step in its journey toward a greener, more resilient energy future. By blending environmental stewardship with practical applications, the project contributes further to Idemitsu’s endeavours to achieve sustainable mining in Australia.

FULL CIRCLE

Thiess’ origins in the Hunter Valley began in 1944 when the Thiess Brothers broke ground on open-cut operations at Muswellbrook Coal Mine – fittingly, 80 years later Thiess Rehabilitation is making significant progress with technology-led post-mining land restoration works for the site’s current owner Idemitsu Australia.

Over the next 12 months, 156 hectares of post-mining land will be restored, with the site returned to a mix of native ecosystems and improved pastures over 180 hectares.

Since mobilising to site in July 2023, Thiess Rehabilitation has safely and successfully deployed a dozer and excavator fleet to move 7.3 million cubic metres of mined earth – enough to fill over 1,500 Olympic-size swimming pools – and celebrated 479 days reportable incident-free at the end of October 2024.

Other milestones include the completion of six blasts on the highwall to create a final landform that is sustainable and complements the landscapes of the surrounding region. Civil works were progressively delivered on areas undergoing rehabilitation to support a post-mining landform that delivers both vegetation and pasture land uses. Over the next year, 2.8km of rock-lined drains, 19km of contour banks, and 16,000 tonnes of compost spreading will be delivered.

Thiess Rehabilitation Group Manager Jonathan Miln said: “Given Thiess’ legacy at Muswellbrook Mine, Thiess Rehabilitation is pleased to be able to contribute to the successful rehabilitation of the Muswellbrook site and meet Idemitsu Australia’s approved mine rehabilitation objectives”.

GOING BUSH

In September, people from Cessnock and surrounding towns got to learn more about protecting their local environment and have some fun at Cessnock City Council’s popular ‘Our Bushland Festival’.

Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) provided significant funding support for the first time through a HVO community grant.

Festivities at the three day event included an outdoor cinema event, after dark bushland tours to see nocturnal animals in their natural habitat and do some stargazing and a family fun day. The family day included guided bushwalks, environmental workshops and animal talks.

HVO General Manager Dave Foster said one of the mine’s community grants program themes is supporting projects that enhance our region’s environment.

“This is a great program that connects residents with their local environment in a fun way. Some of our employees and their families live in the Cessnock LGA,” Dave said.

“The Our Bushland Festival raises awareness of the importance of the bushland, and its flora and fauna, in Cessnock and Kurri Kurri. It helps people know how they can play a part in caring for and protecting their local bush.”

APPRENTICES GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY  

Apprentices from Glencore Coal’s Bulga operation leant their time and skills to Broke Public School, assisting in the revitalisation of a disused garden patch.

This newly created space has become a hub of activity and learning, where students have the opportunity to grow fresh produce and engage with nature.

A LEAPING SUCCESS

At Hunter Wetlands National Park near Newcastle NSW, conservation efforts for the endangered green and golden bell frog are being supported through the successful delivery of a compensatory habitat program by BHP.

Following closure of the Newcastle Steelworks in 1999, BHP implemented a range of associated closure projects including the Hunter River Remediation Project (HRRP). The HRRP was conducted over five years until its completion in 2012 and involved the cleanup of sediments from the Hunter River bed adjacent to the former Steelworks site which had been contaminated by industrial activities of the Steelworks. The contaminants were generated over a long period of time when environmental standards didn’t exist or were not the same as they are today.

One of the approval conditions for the HRRP required BHP to develop and implement a compensatory habitat program to offset impacts to habitat at the emplacement area for the dredged and treated sediments of the green and golden bell frog (scientific name Litoria aurea), which is classed as an endangered species in New South Wales.

Ray Marten, Principal Approvals for BHP NSW Energy Coal, said the compensatory habitat program began in 2010 and is making an important contribution to the conservation of the species.

“We began the project by constructing a trial habitat and conducting a five year intensive research and monitoring program which we engaged the University of Newcastle’s Amphibian Research Laboratory to conduct as they are they experts in this field, and particularly for this species.”

“The key findings from the trial site were used to inform the design for the full scale habitat constructed within Hunter Wetlands National Park. Construction of the habitat was completed in 2016 and since then we have been monitoring and maintaining the site.”

One of the key criteria to measure the successful creation of compensatory habitat is the occurrence of breeding events. Extensive engineering went into the design and construction of the habitat to optimise the likelihood of success, including building bunds around the ponds to protect eggs and tadpoles from a predatory fish species Eastern gambusia which could otherwise travel via surface water into constructed ponds during wet weather periods; and designing deeper ponds that have access to groundwater to maintain water during dry periods.

Within two months of construction completion a breeding event was recorded, and multiple breeding events have been occurring every season since, demonstrating the success of the program.

“While we are expecting another successful breeding season from September to March, we never get complacent,” said Ray.

“From the beginning our goal was to make sure the design of the compensatory habitat was fully informed and was given every chance to succeed and we’ve thrown a lot of resources at it to make that happen.

“The program still has eleven years to go before BHP hands the habitat over to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. During that period we will continue to adaptively manage the habitat in an attempt to ensure that not only will it have a well-established population of frogs, it will also be resilient and be able to maintain that population in the future.”

HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE SUN

Whitehaven is exploring the development of a 26 MW solar photovoltaic electricity generation system (solar farm), which would be located adjacent to the existing Narrabri Mine on Whitehaven land.

A 10MWh battery energy storage system would also feature as part of the proposed behind-the-meter solar farm.

Narrabri is Whitehaven’s most electricity intensive asset in NSW. The solar farm would provide more than one-third of the mine’s electricity needs for the remainder of its operational life, helping to abate more than one-third of Narrabri’s Scope 2 emissions.

The proposal is expected to cost around $43 million, which means it requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as a State Significant Development.

Extensive consultation and field studies have been undertaken and the EIS application is expected to be submitted in the coming months.

A LITTLE WATER CAN GROW BIG THINGS

Glencore Coal’s Mt Owen operation was proud to support the upgrade to Branxton Preschool’s garden irrigation system.

This community investment has significantly enhanced the preschool’s outdoor learning environment, providing a state-of-the-art playground space for the children.

Branxton Preschool, a not-for-profit community-based institution, supports children aged three to six years old. The preschool is dedicated to the principle that play is the most effective method for early childhood education.

The upgraded irrigation system has revitalised the garden, creating a lush and engaging outdoor area. This improvement not only enriches the educational experience for the children but also strengthens the preschool’s commitment to fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment.

KOALA SANCTUARY IS TAKING SHAPE

Construction of Gunnedah’s Koala Hospital and Wildlife Sanctuary, which Whitehaven has committed $2 million towards, is taking shape. The project is planned to be delivered in three stages, with Stage 2, including the main building to house the animal hospital and a large cafe, nearing completion.

The sanctuary will reinforce Gunnedah Shire’s position as the ‘Koala Capital of the World’ and create a new hub of wildlife conservation in North West NSW featuring a range of wildlife and tourist attractions – all focused on the awareness about and preservation of koalas, now recognised as an endangered species.

To support the dietary needs of the koalas, who consume between 200 and 500 grams of eucalyptus leaves each day, the sanctuary has planted 7,000 trees, ensuring a sustainable food source. Additionally, predator-proof fencing is being installed around the sanctuary’s perimeter to enhance the safety and security of the animals.

Environmental sustainability is a priority in the sanctuary’s design, with green-friendly features such as advanced rainwater harvesting systems and solar panels to reduce reliance on external resources. This eco-conscious approach highlights the project’s commitment to preserving both the local ecosystem and its wildlife.

Once completed, the sanctuary is expected to bring significant positive impacts to the region, not only protecting vulnerable wildlife but also bolstering the local economy through increased tourism for years to come.