EIS 746
ABO 19414
Baal Bone Colliery environmental impact statement: coal lease
application no. 192 NS DEPT PR1PRT INDUSTRIES 11111 lllll~ ABO19414 ......
WALLERAWANG COLLIERIES LTD
BAAL BONE COLLIERY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
DECEMBER 1989
PREP &RED BY BRIAN STONE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES NSVt I :pJ\RIMk OF
I
BAAL BONE COLLIERY I WALLERAWANG COLLIERIES Proprietary Ltd Coalex Proprietary Ltd
1 I 1 I STkTE\I ENT I I Coal Lease Application No.192 I December 1989
I I
BRIAN STONE Environmental Services
Brian Stone BA., (i-ions) [Macqj M,A.I.BI., M.E.IA. I Consultant Ecologist & Environmental Scientist I EIS 27 Lawrence Street, I 746 BLACKHEATh NSW 2785
I I Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
n ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT, 19799 I SECTION 77(3)(D) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT I This Statement has been prepared on behalf of The Wallerawang Collieries Propriety Limited, being the applicant and accompanies the development I application made in respect of the following development:
The continuation of underground mining by Baal Bone Colliery, as per Coal Lease Application No. 192.
I The development application relates to the land described as follows:
Portion 29, Land Grant of 30th October, 1853, "Old System" Land. I Part Portion 4, Portions 30, and 31, "Old System" Land. Lot 2, Folio Identifier 2/235194 Portion 33, Volume 5042, Folios 182 & 183. Portion 78, Volume 4911, Folio 10. I Portion 39, Crown Land Parish of Ben Bullen I County of Roxburgh Locality, Cullen Bullen I City of Greater Lithgow
The contents of this statement, as required by clause 34 of the Environmental I Planning and Assessment Regulation, 1980, are set out forth in the accompanying pages.
Name, Qualifications and Address Brian Stone B.A.(Hons) [Macq.] of person who prepared 27 Lawrence Street I Environmental Impact Statement BLACKIIEATH NSW 2785
I CERTIFICATE:
I I, Brian Stone of Brian Stone Environmental Services hereby certify that I have prepared the contents of this Statement in accordance with clause 34 and 35 of the I Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, 1980. F Siature Thuday, 30 November 1989 I Li Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Abbreviations I
$Mlannum ...... Million dollars per year I Al ...... Aluminium AS...... Volatile Solids BBC...... Baal Bone Colliery CLA 192...... Coal Lease Application No. 192 CWA...... Clean Waters Act, 1970, and Regulations dB(A) ...... Sound pressure level, A weighted decibel r DC...... Development Consent DME ...... Department of Minerals and Energy DWR...... Department of Water Resources EIS ...... Environmental Impact Statement I ETA ...... Environmental Impact Assessment F Fe...... Filtrable Iron FR...... Filtrable Residue I G&O...... Grease and Oil GLCC ...... Greater Lithgow City Council ha...... hectare J...... Joule km ...... kilometre km2...... square kilometre I KWH ...... Kilowatt hour L ...... Litre LAO. 1...... Maximum noise level I LO ...... Noise level exceeded 90% of the time LAeq...... Equivalent continuous noise level m ...... metre I mg/L...... milligrams per litre MPL...... Mining Purposes Lease tS/cm ...... microSiemens per centimetre I Mt...... Million tonne Mtpa ...... Million tonne per annum Mpa ...... Million per annum I NFR ...... Non Filtrable Residue (mg/L) NPWS ...... National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales NTU ...... Nephelometric turbidity unit I ROM ...... Run-of-mine SC...... Specific Conductance (uS/cm) SO4 ...... Sulphate I SPCC...... State Pollution Control Commission STREIS ...... Supplementary Technical Report to ETS, August 1981 T Fe...... Total Iron I t...... tonne TDS...... Total Dissolved Solids tpa...... tonnes per annum H Zn...... Zinc H I Ll I CONTENTS I I < Statement (Form 4) Abbreviations
Summary...... 1
11 Section 1. Introduction 1.1 History and Background to the proposal...... 5 I Fig. No 1.1 Location of the Baal Bone Colliery6...... Fig. No 1.2 Baal Bone and Environs...... 7 1.2 Development to Present ...... 8 1.3 Management of the Environment & Pollution Control to Present...... 8 1 1.4 Management of the Environmental Impact Statement...... 9 I Section 2. Description of the Proposed Development 2.1 Outline of the Proposal...... 10 1 2.1.1 Surface Colliery Infrastructure ...... 10 2.1.2 Underground Development...... 11 1 Fig. No 2.1 Site Location: CLA 192...... 12 Fig. No 2.2 Property Boundaries of CLA 192...... 13 I- Fig. No 2.3.1 Mine Plan A (Preferred Mine Plan)...... 14 Fig. No 2.3.2 MinePlanB...... 15 I Fig. No 2.3.3 Mine Plan C...... 16 Fig. No 2.3.4 Mine Plan C...... 17 I
Section 3. Description of Existing Environment 3.1 Location...... 18 1 3.2 Topography and Land Systems ...... 18 1 I I 11 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliely 11 December 1989
3.3 Geology, and Coal Reserves ...... 19 3.3.1 Geological Exploration...... 19 Table 3.1 Drilling Details...... 20 Table 3.2 Indicative Quality Parameters...... 21 Table 3.3 Coal Resources and Reserves...... 22 Fig. No 3.1 In Situ Iso-Pachs, Lithgow Seam...... 23 Fig. No 3.2 Floor Contours, Lithgow Seam...... 24 Fig. No 3.3 Iso-Ash Contours, Lithgow Seam...... 25 Fig. No 3.4 Ash (Fl. 60) Contours, Lithgow Seam 26 3.4 Soils ...... 27 3.5 Land Use...... 27 Plate 1.1 Air Photo of theArea of CLA 192 showing Land Use...... 28 3.6 Socio-Economic Environment...... 29 3.6.1 Homesteads...... 29 3.6.2 Cullen Bullen Township ...... 29 3.7 Vegetation Communities ...... 30 Fig. No 3.5 Vegetation Communities...... 31 3.8 Fauna...... 32 3.9 Climate ...... 32 3.9.1 Airflow patterns...... 33 3.9.2 Rainfall and Evaporation...... 33 Table 3.4 Rainfall for Surrounding Towns...... 34 Table 3.5 Baa! Bone Rainfall...... 34 Table 3.6 Mean Monthly Evaporation for Bathurst Meteorological Station..... 34 Table 3.7 Summary of Water Analyses: Jews Creek Monitoring Point.[BBJ] 1983-88...... 35 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality ...... 35 3.10.1 Stream Gauging Records ...... 36 Table 3.8 Stream Gauging Records...... 37 3.11 Acoustic Environment...... 37 3.12 Archaeological Context...... 38 Fig. No 3.6 Archaeological Sites...... 39
in Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery December 1989
Section 4. Environmental Interactions and Impacts 4.1 Mining induced Subsidence...... 40 4.2 Predicted Subsidence...... 41 4.2.1 Valley Floor Area ...... 41 4.2.2 Slopes and Plateau Area...... 41 4.3 Subsidence effects on surface facilities and features...... 42 4.3.1 Effects of Strains on the Water Supply Pipeline...... 42 4.3.2 Effects of Surface Strains on the Homestead Building...... 42 4.3.3 Effects of Surface Strains on the Cliff-Lines ...... 43 Fig. No 4.1 Plan of Possible Mining (with Topography)...... 44 4.3.4 Effects of Surface Strains on Surface and Groundwater Hydrology 45 4.4 Stream Flow and Water Supply...... 45 4.5 Water Quality...... 46 4.6 Impact on Vegetation Communities: Structure and Floristics...... 46 4.7 Impact on Fauna and Habitat ...... 48 4.8 Impact on Archaeological Sites and Relics...... 49 4.9 Impact on Scientific Information within Peat Deposits...... 50 4.10 FireHazard ...... 50
Section 5. Measures to protect the Environment 5.1 Mitigation of the Impacts of Ground Subsidence ...... 51 5.2 Minimising the Impact on the Vegetation Communities...... 51 5.3 Minimising the Impact on the Fauna...... 52 5.4 Protection of Archaeological Relics...... 52 5.5 Fire Prevention and Weed Control...... 52 5.6 Monitoring and Environmental Studies...... 53
Section 6 Evaluation and Justification of the Project 6.1 Environmental Considerations...... 54 I iv Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliety I December 1989
I 6.2 Economic Considerations ...... 54 I 6.2.1 CoalResource ...... 54 Table 6.1 Coal Reserves...... 55 6.2.2 Implications for Regional, State, and National Economies ...... 55 1 6.2.2.1 Maintenance of Direct Employment Positions...... 55 6.2.2.2 Creation of Jobs in the Private and Public Sectors...... 56 1 Table 6.2 Economic Impacts on the Region...... 57 6.2.2.3 Population Growth in the Western Coalfields...... 58 I 6.3 Social Considerations...... 58 6.4 Consequences of Not Proceeding with the Project...... 59 I 6.5 Energy Statement ...... 60 6.5.1 Energy Consumption...... 60 Table 6.3 Annual Usage and Specific Energies of Energy Sources...... 60 6.5.2 Energy Balance...... 61 1 6.5.3 Energy Sterilisation ...... 61 Table 6.4 Annual Energy Balance...... 61 I 6.5.4 Conclusions...... 62
I Section 7 REFERENCES ...... 63
I Fig. No 1.1 Location of the Baal Bone Colliery...... 6 Fig. No 1.2 Baal Bone and Environs...... 7 I Fig. No 2.1 Site Location: CLI 192...... 12 Fig. No 2.2 Properly Boundaries of CLA 192...... 13 Fig. No 2.3.1 Mine Plan A (Preferred Mine Plan)...... 14 I Fig. No 2.3.2 MinePlanB...... 15 Fig. No 2.3.3 Mine Plan C...... 16 I Fig. No 234 Mine. PianC ...... 17 Fig. No 3.1 In Situ Iso-Pachs, Lithgow Seam...... 23 I Fig. No 3.2 Floor Contours, Lithgow Sea?n ...... 24 Fig. No 3.3 Iso-Ash Contours, Lithgow Seam...... 25 I Fig. No 3.4 Ash (Fl. 60) Contours, Lithgow Seam.... 26 I I V Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I I Fig. No 3.5 Vegetation Communities...... 31 I Fig. No 3.6 Archaeological Sites...... 39 Fig. No 4.1 Plan of Possible Mining I (with Topography)...... 44 Table 3.1 DrilllizgDetaiL ...... 20 Table 3.2 Indicative Quality Parameters...... 21 I Table 3.3 Coal Resources and Reserves...... 22 Table 3.4 Rainfall for Surrounding Towns...... 34 I Table 3.5 Baal Bone Rainfall...... 34 Table 3.6 Mean Monthly Evaporatlon I for Bathurst Meteorological Station..... 34 Table 3.7 Summary of Water Analyses:Jews Creek I Monitoring Point. [BBJ] 1983-88...... 35 Table 3.8 Stream Gauging Records...... 37 Table 6.1 Coal Reserves...... 55 I Table 6.2 Economic Impacts on the Region...... 57 Table 6.3 Annual Usage and Specific Energies I of Energy Sources...... 60 Annual Energy Balance...... 61 I Table 6.4 Plate 1.1 Air Photo of the Area of CLA 192 I showingLand Use...... 28
I APPENDICES I Appendix 1 Report of Vegatation Surveys I Appendix 2 Report of Fauna! Surveys Appendix 3 Existing Water Qua!ity
I Appendix 4 Archaeologica! Survey I Appendix 5 Subsidence Aspects of Proposed Longwa!1 Mining I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Summary Li The Project
I This Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared to support a Development Application to the Greater Lithgow City Council. As the proposed project is a designated development within the meaning of Schedule 3 of the Ll Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations, 1980, as amended, an EIS must accompany the development application to the Greater Lithgow City Council for development consent to proceed with the proposal.
Ii The EIS addresses the environmental interactions, impacts and consequences (biophysical, sociological, and economic) associated with the development of the area known as Coal Lease Application No. 192.
This summary briefly outlines the major features of the project, describes the safeguards proposed to minimise any adverse impacts, and defines the project's environmental and socio-economic implications.
Wallerawang Collieries Limited holds 100% interest in Baal Bone Colliery. Wallerawang Collieries Limited itself is owned 80% by Coalex Pty Limited, 15% by Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited and 5% by Sumitomo Corporation. Coalex Pty Limited is a 100% owned subsidiary of Oakbridge Limited. Oakbridge Limited is managed, staffed and predominantly owned by Australians. Its operations are I based entirely in Australia. On the 30th June, 1989 Oakbridge was restructured. This involved the merging of assets held by Oakbridge and coal assets of Elders Resources NZFP Limited. Oakbridge has thus acquired a substantial portfolio of coal mines, making it a major Australian exporter (approximately 9 million tonnes Li annually). Elders Resources has become the largest shareholder of Oakbridge with an interest of 49% in the Company's expanded capital.
I The continued development of the Baal Bone Colliery is part of the overall expansion strategy of Coalex Pty Limited in the Western Coalfields. This is justified, not only in terms of maintaining the Coalex group output but also in the Li mterests of maintaining employment for company personnel as well as contributing to regional economic development. P-J It is proposed to extend the present Colliery lease holding by the addition of the area (860 ha) of CLA 192. The addition of this area will extend the life of the Colliery from 15 to about 21 years based upon a capacity of up to 2 Mtpa of run- of-mine coal. This will provide for the utilisation of a coal resource which would Li otherwise be sterilised. It will also facilitate access to the present holdings and enable a more efficient and economical extraction of the coal within the extended I lease holdings. There will be no mine infrastructure within the area of CLA 192. The present pit top facilities are located outside the south western corner of the proposed lease and will continue to service all mining activities within the proposed CLA 192 area. I There will be no change to the manning levels or production targets as a result of this acquisition. I I I 2 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I A total of 9.42 Mt is estimated as the Recoverable Reserves from this authorisation. The Lithgow Seam will only be mined in the south eastern corner of the CIA 192 area. To the north-west the seam thins dramatically and splits into a number of thin I sections.
Four alternative mine plans have been considered. A preferred mining layout has I been chosen which best meets the requirement to maximise the recovery of coal and minimise the environmental impacts. Notwithstanding this, whatever mine plan is finally adopted will be in accordance with the DME as per the requirements of the I Coal Mine Regulations Act 1982 and the conditions associated with CIA 192.
Environmental Impacts Safeguards and Controls
This EIS identifies and examines the potential areas of environmental impact which I might arise as a consequence of this proposal. Impacts on the biophysical environment and man made structures are limited to those which might arise from the effects of surface subsidence on that portion of the area of CLA 192 which is I proposed to be undermined. The proposed mining plan has taken into account the likely zones of subsidence hazard. The various landform elements in the surface above the proposed mining I areas, particularly the cliff-lines and Baal Bone Creek, will be given consideration in the design of the final mining plans to minimise subsidence effects. Monitoring of mining operations will be undertaken where critical landforms may be affected. I These are matters for definition by the Department of Minerals and Energy as a condition of any lease approval.
Surface strains and tilting may affect cliff line stability, the integrity of the Fish I River (water supply) Pipeline, and surface structures. Increases in vertical permeability could, in principle, affect the flow of Baal Bone Creek or could result in the drainage of ponds. I In respect to the Fish River Pipeline, a geotechnical investigation indicates that as a consequence of the state of the pipeline it is likely that it will be disrupted as a result I of longwall extraction. To safeguard against a disruption in the supply of water it is proposed to replace part of the pipeline above the workings, one (or possibly more) section at a time, with welded steel line designed to withstand the anticipated subsidence. Maintenance work on this line will be carried out as required during I undermining.
The possibility of subsidence induced damage to the homestead (the only building I on CIA 192) is addressed. To safeguard against this the extraction of coal below this structure will be carried out by the bord and pillar method and will be limited to first workings. The longwall mining method will not be used below this part of the I proposed lease. The possible effects of surface strains on cliff-lines are addressed. Within the boundaries of CIA 192 there is one small area which contains the only length of I significant cliff-line development that might be affected by mining. The geotechnical investigation concludes that longwall mining may result in partial collapse of some of the Ilsentinels?! forming the cliff-line. This would accelerate the I natural cliff-line retreat which is an on-going process on the geological time scale.
I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I However, alternative mine plans, are under consideration, which do not involve the total extraction beneath this cliff-line.
The geotechnical study identifies the possible impacts on surface and ground-water I hydrology. In particular it notes that it is possible for temporary stream capture of Baal Bone Creek. However the report concludes that should stream capture occur it is probable that this would only be short term. The EIS also identifies the possible I impacts on stream flow to aquatic ecosystems and downstream riverine environments, as well as the potential reduction to the water supply for downstream consumers. Of the two streams within the proposed lease area only one, Baal Bone Creek, could be affected. The other stream, Jews Creek, will not I be undermined. This will guarantee a supply of water to the downstream users as well as the homestead located within the area of CLA 192.
I In respect to Water Quality, as it is not proposed that coal handling facilities, dirty water handling facilities, or mine dc-watering facilities be placed within CLA 192 I there will be no threat to the aquatic system from such sources. The potential impact of mining on the different plant communities and the faunal habitat is discussed. The only significant potential impacts to the plant communities and habitats arise from the possible alteration of the drainage pattern of a portion of I Baal Bone Creek. Nevertheless, measures will be taken to protect Baal Bone creek from the possibility of the "capture" of the flow in the creek by the underground workings and from the flooding or draining of any significant parts of the closed- I sedge/heath community (swamp habitat). Mine plans will be under constant review and restrictions imposed to mining below Baal Bone Creek should data collected from the monitoring program suggest this to be necessary.
I The archaeological sites and relics identified during the investigation are all small and all are to some extent disturbed. Moreover, all the aboriginal open sites and artefacts are located on elevated ground. Thus the impact on these due to alterations I of drainage patterns occasioned by surface subsidence is not likely. In the event of any surface activity likely to impact detrimentally upon the sites, consent to destroy the sites in question will be sought from the Director of National Parks & Wildlife I Service. In the event of an application being made for consent to destroy any of the sites the Windradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council will be informed and should an application be made for consent to destroy Site 1 an examination and analysis of sub-surface deposits will be undertaken.
Uncertainties concerning the extent and degree of impact of mining associated activities on the environment of the CLA 192 area will be resolved with the I collection of data from the on-going monitoring programmes. Programmes of monitoring and environmental investigations will be administered by the I Environmental Officer under direction of the mine management. A modest level of impact is predicted for the project based upon the safeguards, and environmental management of the mine. A high standard of environmental management and pollution control can be achieved with proper planning, existing I technology, and persistent supervision and monitoring.
I Socio-Economic Benefits The contribution to the, regional, state and national economies by the coal mining I industry in general and the Baal Bone Colliery in particular is of major significance. LI I 4 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
The return to the state in terms of royalties, taxes, rail and port charges is about $43 I million.from the Baal Bone Colliery. This is in addition to the benefits to the national economy through income tax from the mine workers plus the earning of important export dollars to reduce the deficit in the nations balance of payments. I The contribution to the local or regional economy from coal mining is very significant as the industry is a major regional employer along with the very strong mining support industries.
I The study has identified a number of social benefits to the region and local community. The community has benefited through the enjoyment of additional and broader social/ cultural recreational and residential opportunities, an improved I degree of lifestyle amenity, a greater range of community services, higher income- earning potential. These benefits will be maintained with the extension of the life of I the mine. In view of the significant benefits which will accrue by the proposal, the efforts to mitigatepossible adverse impacts, and the implications of the project not proceeding, the Company considers that it is justified in requesting that its proposal be approved. U 1 I I LI I I I I I I I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Section 1. Introduction I The purpose of this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to address the environmental interactions, impacts or consequences (biophysical, sociological, I and economic) associated with the development of the area known as Coal Lease Application No. 192 (Ref. Fig. 1.1).
1.1 History and Background to the proposal
In August, 1979 the then Department of Mineral Resources and Development I issued Coalex Proprietary. Ltd. with Authorisation No. 161 permitting the Company to explore the coal bearing strata in the area. The results of the drilling programme indicated a reliable and economically significant coal reserve in that part of the Lithgow Seam underlying the Baal Bone area and parts of the Ben Bullen I and Wolgan State Forests.
Preliminary planning for the development of a Colliery at Baal Bone was I commenced during late 1979. The plan has been progressively developed,after detailed consideration of a range of alternatives, to its present form. The Baal Bone Colliery, produces approximately 2.0 mtpa of saleable steaming coal with a I maximum daily output of 9,000 tonnes. The bulk of the extracted coal is exported to countries which have a heavy and growing dependence on steaming coal, e.g., Japan.
The proposal to develop Baal Bone Colliery had been part of the overall expansion strategyof Coalex Proprietary. Ltd. in the Western Coalfields. The Colliery has replaced the Wallerawang Colliery where accessible economical coal reserves have been exhausted.
The Colliery development has been justified, not only in terms of maintaining the Coalex group output but also in the interests of maintaining employment for I company personnel as well as contributing to regional economic development.
An EIS for the Colliery project prepared by Nexus Environmental Studies, on I behalf of Wallerawang Collieries Proprietary. Ltd., was lodged together with a development application with the Greater Lithgow City Council (GLCC) on 17 November, 1981. Development Consent for the Baal Bone Colliery was granted by I the GLCC on 29 March, 1982. A Inquiry under S119 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act was held in relation to the development of the Baal Bone Colliery on Monday, 9th and I Tuesday 10th August, 1982 in the Council Chambers of the City of Greater Lithgow. I On 19 December, 1982 the Under Secretary of the then Department of Mineral Resources advised that Coal Lease Application No. 117A made by The Wallerawang Collieries Ltd. had been granted on 24 November, 1982, under the I Coal Mining Act, 1973, Lease No. 246, for a term of 21 years. I I Lei Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
FIG 1.1 I LOCATION OF THE BAAL BONE COLLIERY I
He b Ne n I Swamp Creek NEW SOUTH WALES DAYSWATER
Power Stations SINGLETON A Coal Loader - - - Holdings Controlled by Oakbridge S[ixC)nlV MAITLAND Kooragong IsLand • CitIes jCoat Loader *-t-i++ RaiI:ys Grettey F kl on g' F elton Port Waratah Coat Loader
NEWCASTLE I Running Strem ERARtNG 4 TCool Leose Applicatron No 192 VALES P1 I Baal Bone MJJNMOR4H 1 PIPER \hxtlerawang
FE C I r er ce Nor t h HerriI rig etG0W I
LIn Coal Loader I DNEY I
PACIFiC OCEAN Bur:o
Mt Port KembLa Coat Loader i PORT KEMBLA I I I 7 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I FIG 1.2 I BAAL BONE and ENVIRONS I BLE I
90 I I I I rr Homestead I Abardoni On Cut I $ I 1 le Dc I I I 6 0 0 0 I Station LEN ILLEN I O 3c :? I I I 8 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 1.2 Development to Present I The Colliery has developed underground workings to mine the coal from that part of the Lithgow seam within Baa! Bone Colliery Holding. Access to the mine is via I a series of adits which directly enter the seam at the south-eastern high wall of the old Ben Bullen State open-cut mine worked by the Joint Coal Board during the 1940's and early 1950's (refer to Fig. 1.2). Much of the surface activity and plant associated with the Colliery is located over parts of this grossly disturbed open-cut I mined area. An area once covered by unstable and bare overburden windrows and open-cut channels has been levelled for pit-top development. Other open cut channels have been incorporated into the creek diversion channel and dirty water I storage. A further large area once covered by overburden windrows has been utilised for the emplacement of Coal Refuse. This with other areas of the old open- cut mine will be progressively landscaped and revegetated over the life of the I Colliery. Mining is carried out in the Lithgow seam of the Illawarra Coal Measures, this being the only seam of sufficient thickness and quality to warrant exploitation. The I Lithgow coal seam ranges from 2.1 to 2.7 m in thickness, and is mainly dull, medium volatile and generally non-swelling bituminous coal of moderate ash I content (12.2 to 18.6%), and low sulphur (0.51 to 0.65%). The Colliery incorporates a coal preparation plant, pit-top complex, coal stock- piling and conveying facilities, roads and a railway loop. The rail transport I infrastructure has been put in place in accordance with NSW Government policy. Progressively with mining disturbed open-cut areas will be rehabilitated.
I The total cost of the Baal Bone Colliery development is about $120 million. I 1.3 Management of the Environment & I Pollution Control to Present
Since the inception of the mine a number of Annual Environmental Monitoring I Reports have been prepared and submitted to the DP in accordance with the requirements contained in Condition 21 of the Development Consent. These reports document the statutory requirements, the environmental management plans arising I from the initial EIS and review procedure, and their establishment, as well as the progressive development and implementation of environmental management and pollution control procedures in the light of the data from the on-going monitoring I by environmental staff and studies undertaken by specialist consultants. The environmental monitoring program is designed to monitor many parameters of the natural or bio-physical environment and to record any impacts or effects due to I mining associated equipment or mining activities. The program also monitors the performance of the many pollution control structures placed about the site. The environmental management and monitoring program involves water treatment and I water quality monitoring, noise level reduction and monitoring, dust control and I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
dust deposition monitoring, land-form rehabilitation and landscaping, re-vegetation and soil stabilisation, noxious weed control, and ground subsidence monitoring. There is also regular (annual) surveys of the natural vegetation communities in the lease holdings, in conjunction with subsidence monitoring, as well as in plant communities in areas not yet influenced by mining.
The annual reports of the monitoring program show that to date there have been no 1 unexpected or unacceptable impacts to the environment. There has been a continuing impact to the immediate downstream aquatic ecosystem and the aquatic ecosystem of Ben Bullen Creek as it flows through the abandoned (in the 1940's and 1950's) and highly disturbed open cut mining areas of the site. Whilst the pre- I mine water quality data of the creek system is inadequate as a bench mark to compare with the data accumulated through the monitoring program it is considered that the site development and rehabilitation has reduced the level of impact on the I creek due to the abandoned open cut mining. In is expected that there will be a substantial improvement in water quality over the life of the mine as progressive rehabilitation of refuse emplacements and surrounding areas is effected. I
1 1.4 Management of the Environmental Impact Statement
The greater portion of the research and report writing has been carried out by Mr Brian Stone, BA (Hons) [Macq], principal of Brian Stone Environmental Services. Assistance has been provided in the preparation of the Statement by a range of I Company personnel. Consultants used are, Coffey Partners International Pty. Ltd., for the report Subsidence Aspects of Proposed Longwall Mining, and Brayshaw McDonald Pty. Ltd., for the Archaeological Survey. Past consultants reports referred to are by M.J.S. Denny, for the Faunal Survey (Denny, 1981), and R.A. I Buchanan, for the Vegetation Surveys, 1983, to 1987.
During the course of the preparation of the Statement, a range of Government I Departments and Statutory Authorities were consulted, a number (marked with *) providing comments on a draft copy of the Statement..
I Department of Agriculture Department of Minerals and Energy (Sydney) * Department of Planning (Sydney) * I Department of Public Works (Bathurst)* Department of Water Resources (Dubbo)* Forestry Commission (Lithgow)* I Greater Lithgow City Council (Lithgow) * National Parks and Wildlife Service (Parramatta, Blackheath) * Soil Conservation Service of NSW (Lithgow) I State Pollution Control Commission (Sydney, Bathurst) I F1 I I 10 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Section 2. Description of the Proposed Development
2.1 Outline of the Proposal
The Wallerawang Collieries Limited proposes to extend its holdings to include I reserves of steaming coal in the area defined by Coal Lease Application No. 192. This will add 886 ha to the existing coal lease holdings
The Company has undertaken an assessment of the coal reserves in the proposed I lease area and have delineated some ten (10) million tonnes of steaming coal. These added reserves will increase the life of the mine to a more appropriate level for the I capital investment to date. There will be no additions to the current infrastructure and no change to the manning levels or production targets as a result of this acquisition. The addition of I the proposed coal lease is only to increase the life of the Colliery. This increase is estimated to be about six (6) years.
As the reserves within the area of CLA 192 are not enough to justify a stand alone I mine the addition of this area to the existing Colliery holding ensures that this coal resource will not be sterilised. Moreover, it will also facilitate access to the present holdings and enable a more efficient and economical extraction of the coal within I the total lease holdings. This is indicated in the preferred mine plan as described herein.
This will ensure the long term employment at the Colliery, maximise the use of the I existing infrastructure and minimise potential environmental impacts associated with coal processing and handling which would otherwise be the case with surface I facilities spread throughout the area.
I 2.1.1 Surface Colliery Infrastructure
I It is emphasised that there will be no surface mine infrastructure within the area of CLA 192 (Ref. Figures. 2.1 and Fig. 2.2). The present pit top facilities are located outside the south western corner of the proposed lease and are ideally sited to I service all mining activities within the proposed CLA 192 area. I I I 11 H
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 2.1.2Underground Development I As shown in Section 3.3, the Lithgow Seam can only be mined in the south eastern corner of the CIA 192 area. To the north-west the seam thins dramatically and I splits into a number of thin sections. Fig 2.3.1 indicates where mining is limited by the splitting of the Lithgow Seam. This roughly parallels the 1.5 metre iso-pach thickness line. The mineable in situ reserves from this line to the southern and I eastern boundaries (as determined by Mine Plan A) is 17.75 Mt. In accordance with the Australian Code for Reporting Identified Coal Resources and Reserves, as adopted by the Standing Committee on Coalfield Geology of I New South Wales (1980), a total of 10.275 Mt is estimated as the Recoverable Reserves from this area. I Four alternative mine plans have been considered. The variability of geological conditions and structures associated with the seam, floor and roof will determine the ultimate mine plan used in the area. These four most plausible layouts are shown in Figs 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.3.4 with the preferred option shown in Fig I 2.3.1. This plan is preferred as it best meets the requirement to maximise the recovery of coal and minimise the environmental impacts. Whatever mine plan is finally adopted will be in accordance with the DME as per the requirements of the Coal Mine Regulations Act 1982 and the conditions associated with CIA 192.
Mining will involve the use of both longwall and bord and pillar mining methods I (Ref. Figs. 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.3.4), with the bulk of the coal removed by longwall equipment. Currently the minimum working height is 2.1 m. Where the seam thickness is less than this it may be mined with a continuous miner to the extent that the extraction is economic. Bord and pillar (continuous miner) methods I would be employed near to fault areas and below escarpments and other important surface features should this be required. The proposed full extraction of coal predominantly in the longwall areas, but not necessarily confined to these areas, I would ensure the maximum utilisation of the available resource at the expense of surface subsidence estimated to be up to a maximum of approximately 1.5 metres.
In general, the company shall meet the requirements of the Conditions of Concessions and Authorjsations - 1985 (1) attached to the letter of invitation to I apply for the coal lease by the Minister for Mineral Resources, and in particular Condition No. 123, which requires that "The registered holder shall adopt such practices and techniques to the satisfaction of the Minister to prevent disturbance to I the escarpments of the Wolgan and Capertee Valleys and any other escarpments or surface features as required by the Minister and the registered holder shall comply with any further direction given or which may be given by the Minister in this I regard." I I 11 P 12 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
FIG 2.1 SITE LOCATION,COAL LEASE APPLICATION No.192
14 I 13 Environmental Impact Statement, BaaI Bone Colliery I December 1989
I FIG. 2.2 PROPERTY BOUNDARIES of CIA 192 I I I I I I I I I I I I FISH RIVER I PIPELINE EASEMENT I I I COAL LEASE APPLICATION No 192 1 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 F IG. 2.3.1 14 I I I] V I I 11 I I I I F Ii F F I I I Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989 FIG. 2.3.2 15
I E 4216000 A 2,7 2.4 / I I / I 2,4 / I A / -- BAAL 0 COLL.tRY" CM E +215000 2 - I 01 2.3 I CM r I CM
"------2.1 [1 \\ P.2 ____ LW I E +214000 I I LW _ LW I 0 1 COAL LEASE /\ / --- L # Al I \ LW a VRHIHHHR I APPLIC/\TI\ONl \., 0. ____-______I LW LMLA E +213000 £ I / I\ I (:M 'SM CM CM C CM CM \\ I I I \ I I I I I!! I III liii H TI ft / " U / [1 .15 /
1 M0 I WAALERAWANG CM-LIMESfflP?9i LIMITED" § § 0.9 _UN192 I E +212000 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989 F IG. 2.3.3 16 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December1989 I FIG. 2.3.4 17 P. I Li I I I I I I I U Li I I I I I I I I I IN Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Section 3. Description of Existing Environment I I 3.1 Location The Coal Lease application area is located towards the northern periphery of the Western Coalfields, 4 km north north east of Cullen Bullen Village, 14 km north of I Wallerawang and 20 km north of Lithgow. The site lies 2 km east of the Mudgee Road and 4 km east of the Wallerawang-Gwabegar railway. It is at the north-west corner and adjoins the main Baal Bone lease (Coal Lease No. 246). See Fig. 1.1.
I The Mudgee Road, to the west of the proposed lease, travels north-south along a narrow pass dissecting the Ben Bullen Range which is a western limb of the Great I Divide.
I 3.2 Topography and Land Systems
Coal lease Application No. 192 lies in the Ben Bullen Range on the west side of the I Great Dividing Range which separates waters draining northwards and eastwards to Capertee and thence to the Cob, from those draining to the southwest, to the Turon and thence to the Macquarie. On the Turon side of the Divide is a dissected I sandstone plateau which drains to the southwest. The Great Dividing Range runs around the eastern and northern boundary of the proposed lease. The highlands of the Range reach over 1,000 m ASL.
I Baal Bone and Jews Creeks rise in the uppermost slopes and descend via steep narrow stream profiles, then broader channels crossing the valley floor. Jews Creek rises in the north and flows south and west through the area, and is joined U from the east by Baal Bone Creek. The skyline, as viewed from the valley floor, reveals outcrops of sandstone I interrupted by forested ridges and steep slopes which descend into slopes of lesser gradient before intersecting with the upland plain. I Topography of the proposed lease area and environs broadly comprises the I following land systems (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981a): (i) prominent rocky escarpments, in the northern part of the area;
(ii) Hilly to undulating and substantially unmodified natural terrain and timbered I country over most of the proposed lease area, of which Ben Bullen Sate Forest occupies the major part;
I (iii a valley, extending north-east into the southern part of the proposed lease, part of a rolling upland plain predominantly of grasslands used for grazing; I and 1 I 19 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I (iv) a small part of a larger disturbed area (a result of previous open-cut mining operations) at the south-west corner of CLA 192 area. This is comprised of part of one water filled excavation bordered by piles of overburden I containing broken shale, residual coal and some soil. I Sandstone outcrops present near vertical, weathered and sculptured surfaces along the upper valley walls of the area. Except for the cleared agricultural area the forest I canopy forms a relatively unbroken cover over the landscape.
3.3 Geology, and Coal Reserves I Geologically the plateaux are of Narrabeen Group sandstone, shale and claystone of Triassic age and are often surfaced with extensive sandstone outcrops. In the valleys of the creeks, such as Jews Creek, are found the softer underlying Permian I sandstones, shales, siltstones and conglomerates of the Illawarra Coal Measures. I 3.3.1 Geological Exploration I During June, 1988, an exploration program was conducted in the proposed lease area. Three boreholes were drilled. The total meterage was 197.940 m of which 73.0 m was cored. The boreholes were targeted to intersect the Lithgow Seam. However, in two boreholes the Irondale Seam was cored as well.
This has further defined the presence of a broad syncline, first encountered in the mine workings, the axis of which trends in a NNW direction. East of this syncline is a narrow anti-clinal (domal) structure, further east of which there would appear I to be a monoclinal feature dipping to the east at grades of the order of 1 in 20. Company geologists predict that the NNW trending fault-zones, first encountered in the mine workings (comprising normal and strike-slip faults and associated with U a broad, major stress zones) transects the eastern part of the proposed lease area. The summary of the drilling results within the proposed lease areas follows I overleaf:-
I i I 1 20 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
Table 3.1 fl Drilling Detail
Borehole Coalex Coalex Coalex Bal Bone Baal Bone E Baal Bone DDH 20 DDH 21 DDH 22
Irondale Seam
Roof of seam (m) 2.200 35.365 NA I Seam Thickness (m) 2.525 2.475 NA I Lithgow Seam Roof of seam (m) 26.605 58.730 98.200 Seam Thickness (m) 2.400 2.455 2.170 Fina!Depth(m) 30.260 63.810 102.500 I Irondale Seam
This coal seam has been shown to be generally 20 to 25 metres above the Lithgow I Seam in the proposed mining lease area, representing the south east corner of the original A.175 Authorisation block. Recent drilling in this proposed lease area has revealed that it is generally about 2.50 m thick but is inferior in quality being high in ash due to the presence of many claystone bands in the bottom half of the seam section. It is predicted that if it was mined, the ROM ash content would be in access of 40.0%. The inherent ash content was found to be over 22.0% (a.d.h.), indicating that it would be unsuitable for any of the company's contracts.
In view of the above mentioned quality considerations, the Irondale Seam within the proposed mining lease area has no economic potential in the foreseeable future.
I Lithgow Seam The working thickness of the Lithgow seam in the three boreholes ranged from I 2.170 in in CBB DDH 22 to 2.455 in in CBB DDH 21.The quality for this seam in the three intersections is similar to that mined in the Baal Bone Colliery. The results are summarised in the following table:- I I
U I 21 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 V Table 3.2 I Indicative Quality Parameters
orehole Coalex Coalex Coalex I Ba! Bone Baa! Bone Baal Bone DDH2O DDH21 DDH22
Irondale Seam Ash Content (a.d.b) 35.4 (Including Bands) Ash Content (a.d.b) 22.2 (Excluding Bands)
Lithgow Seam Ash Content (a.d.b) 15.6 14.8 (Including Bands) Ash Content (a.d.b) 14.2 13.4 (Excluding Bands) Washed Product at F.1.45 Ash Content (a.d.b) 11.1 10.8 10.7 Yield 85.7 88.7 87.9 Volatile Matter (a.d.b) 29.9 31.3 (jig washed product) Sulphur content (a.d.b) 0.54 0.74 S.E. (a.d.b) 28.48 MJ 29.00
Further geological and coal quality data for the Lithgow Seam within CLA 192 is illustrated in fig. 3.1 (In-Situ Iso.Pachs), fig. 3.2 (Floor Contours), fig. 3.3 (Iso- Ash Contours), and fig. 3.4 (Ash (F1.60) Contours). In total there have been twelve holes drilled on C.L.A 192 and one hole drilled on the Western boundary. As has been outlined, three of these boreholes were placed by the company to obtain further information on the geological structure of the Lithgow Seam. The other ten holes were as a result of exploration by the Electricity Commission. The locations of these holes are shown in Fig. 3.1.
1 I I) 22 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989
I Following the Australian Code for Reporting Identified Coal Resources and Reserves as adopted by the Standing Committee on Coalfield Geology of New I South Wales, the coal resources and reserves are tabulated below.
Table 3.3 Coal Resources and Reserves
I Resources Reserves
Lithgow 20.138 mt Lithgow 17.75 mt (mineable In- I Seam (measured) Seam situ)
Irondale Not avail. frondale 0 mt (mineable In-situ) Seam (measured) Seam
I Lithgow 10.275 mt (Recoverable) Seam
(as per Mine Plan A, Fig. 2.3.1) (No allowance for dilution) a Lithgow 8.22 mt (marketable) Seam I
The company appreciates that in terms of detailed predictions of the possible I impacts on surface features and surface and ground-water hydrology more detailed geological investigations, including a geological map, are desirable. The collection of the desirable amount of detailed geological data within a new area, sufficient for IT] the precise prediction of impacts, is time consuming and expensive. Over a period of time, as mining progresses in a new mine, detailed geological information accumulates and is extended over the whole of a lease area. In the normal course of events a great deal more geological information will become available to be used in refining the predictions of impacts and in mitigating the effects of mining. I I I
I 23 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989 E Fig. 3.1 (In-Situ Iso-Pachs) A N 322000
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I 24 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989
Fig. 3.2 (Floor Contours) f v P1 ro ru
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I L [1 27 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 3.4 Soils I Soils of the Western Blue Mountains have been surveyed on a broad scale by Hamilton (1976) The soils of the Triassic Sandstone Plateaux have the I classification of "grey-brown, and yellow-brown uniform sands". This group consists of loosely compacted shallow sands, with very little fines. The soils are low in nutrients and are usually very acid. They are generally highly permeable and I excessively leached and hence depend on organic matter for retention of nutrients (Toyer and Main, 1981).
The thickness of the soil within CLA 192 area, like that in the region generally, I varies according to topographic location and rate of erosion. Only a thin layer of soil covers hill crests and in areas of exposed outcrop, there is often no soil. On flatter sites there is an increased depth of sandy soil and on foot-slopes an I accumulation of talus. The soils of the valleys are classified as "sandy loam yellow bleached gradational soils". In the two areas with impeded drainage within CLA 192 where swamps I (closed-heath/closed-sedge) have formed, the dense matte of vegetation which forms from the slow breakdown of the sedgeland vegetation results in the accumulation of organic matter. The peaty sand occurring in these depressions, are I often up to several metres in thickness.
The friable, sandy soils and the steep topography of the dissected plateau, together I with the often high intensity rainfall can result in severe sheet erosion problems in areas where vegetation has been cleared.
1 3.5 Land Use
Land use within and near the proposed lease, in addition to mining, are forestry and agriculture. Ben Bul!en State Forest occupies the west facing slopes of the Great Divide and supplies mining timber ans some mill logs. On agricultural holdings the grazing of horses, sheep and cattle is the primary activity, (see Plate I 1.1). Conservation: A publication by the then department of Environment and Planning entitled "Conservation values and vegetational changes, upper Hunter, Ulan and Western Coalfields" notes that the general area of which the proposed lease extension is a part has outstanding regional significance for conservation. The I conservation values of significance in the close vicinity of the proposed lease extension are principally those of the land systems/ terrain of the sandstone plateaux and escarpments of the Great Dividing Range.and associated ecosystems, and in particular the adjacent Pantoney's Crown Nature Reserve and Wollemi I National Park, a major recreational resource. These are not within the same catchment as the proposed lease extension. Within the catchment but some fifteen kilometres downstream of the site are two large natural areas including riverine I environments which adjoin and lie astride the Turon River. These areas of Crown Lands have been identified as being worthy of reservation as nature reserves under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (NPWS submission to the Commission of g Inquiry to the development of the Baa! Bone Colliery). I
28 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989
- PLATE Li AIR PHOTO of COAL LEASE APPLICATION No. 192 SHOWING LAND USE.
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I - I 29 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I 3.6 Socio-Economic Environment I The contribution to the, regional, state and national economies by the coal mining industry in general and the Baal Bone mine in particular is discussed at length in I section 6.2.2. Suffice it to note here, that the particular contribution of coal mining to the economics and sociological factors of the Lithgow district is of particular significance as the industry is a major regional employer along with the very strong I mining support industries. Among the Western District mines, Baal Bone Colliery is one of the\ largest employers. The total employment of the mine is now 300. From 1984 to 1988 I there had been a net gain of 260 basic positions in the Western Coal District. The 300 positions at the Baal Bone Colliery now represents about 16.8 % of all positions in the district. I Community Income Levels: It is estimated that the salaries and wages paid to the Baal Bone work force is $13.8 M annually. These payments represent direct I additions to local and regional household incomes. The colliery is also very significant, in terms of maintaining basic work skills in the Western Coalfields sub-region. I
A 3.6.1 Homesteads
Dwellings on and adjacent to the proposed lease area are associated with rural holdings. Most homesteads are occupied throughout the year by their owners, property managers or visitors. The homesteads are accessible via private and public I roads which connect with the Mudgee Road. (Of these scattered rural residences one is on the proposed lease and three nearby.) I 3.6.2 Cullen Bullen Township
Cullen Bullen is a small coal mining settlement bisected by the Mudgee Road. The I township is located approximately 4 km south of the proposed lease and accommodates approximately 250 inhabitants living in about 70 dwellings.
The majority of the men resident in Cullen Bullen are employed by the coal mining $ industry, Wallerawang Power Station, and local agricultural enterprises,
I
I
I I 30 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I 3.7 Vegetation Communities I The area of CLA 192 is covered by native vegetation within Ben Bullen State Forest.with the exception of an upland valley of cleared agricultural land (Ref. Fig I 3.5 Vegetation Communities). There is considerable variation in the composition of this vegetation depending particularly on the type of underlying geology. The valleys with sediments of the Permian Illawarra Coal Measures, soft sandstones, siltstones and shales, have quite different vegetation communities, in respect of the I vegetation structure and floristics, to that of the Plateau Triassic sediments.
The dissected plateau of Triassic sandstone has a mosaic of open forest, woodland I and open heath. The higher parts of the plateau above cliff lines and on rocky outcrops, generally above 900 m, is covered by a community of three plant associations; open-heath, dominated by Casuarina nana, Leptosperinuin I arachnoides, and L. viscidum, open-scrub, dominated by Eucalyptus sp. aff. apiculata, and woodland dominated by E. rossii. Also on the highest but less exposed parts of the plateau, in areas of relatively deeper soil is found a small portion of open-forest dominated by E. sieberi and E. piperita. A woodland I association dominated by E. rossii and E. oblonga is also found on the plateau tops. An extensive area below these, on the protected parts of the plateau running down the sides of the slopes to the valley floor is a community made up of a I mosaic of woodlands dominated by E. ,nannifera, E. dives, E. rubida, and a riparian open-forest, dominated by E. viminalis and E. daliympleana.
The Report of Vegetation Surveys (Appendix 1) includes species lists for each community (data from all the vegetation surveys) as well as a map of the I communities within the boundaries of Coal Lease Application No. 192. I E
I I I I men — — — — — - - — - - — — — — — — no -
VEGETATION MAIN CANOPY FORMATION SPECIES
Open Forest E. sieberi,E. piperita
Woodland E. rossi,E. oblonga
: Open Heath Casuarina nana, VA Leptospermum arachnoids L viscidum
Open Scrub E. sp. off. apiculata
Woodland E. rossi
- Woodland E. mannifera,E. dives
Woodland E. pauuciflora,E. rubida 121 Open Forest E. viminalis,E. dolrympleana
Closed Heath Leptospermum obovotum, 0 L. flavescens Grevillea acanthifolia
VEGETATION COMMUNITIES I 32 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 3.8 Fauna
It is noted by the Report on the Faunal Surveys (Appendix 2) that a large part of the I original EIS faunal survey (Denny, 1981) was carried out in habitats within and adjacent to the highly impacted and changed environment of the old open-cut, and is thus not fully representative of some habitats found on the proposed lease, I particularly those found on the relatively undisturbed plateau surface and ridges of the northern part of the area. I All these habitat types were, however, intensively surveyed by Kingston et al, (1979). This survey revealed 242 species of animal; 39 mammals, 121 birds, 50 reptiles and 32 amphibians (see Table 5, /Appendix 2). This detailed "baseline" survey by the Australian Museum included the Angus Place Colliery Lease, which I is adjacent to the Baal Bone Lease, (Kingston and Allen, 1982).
The onset of the cooler months precluded such a large list of species in the Baal I Bone EIS faunal survey. Notwithstanding this, more water birds were identified in the Baal Bone survey than in the previous surveys of the Newnes Plateau and Cob River. Of the 72 species of avi-fauna identified at Baal Bone, a relatively high I number were water birds. This is due to the large area of water bird habitat within the water filled open-cut areas. These ponds lie at the south west corner but outside the boundaries of CLA 192.
I During the EIS faunal survey, 88 animal species were recorded (not including aquatic species). This included 14 species of mammal all of which are common in at least one of the habitat types of the area. Several introduced mammal species and I other mammals associated with human occupation were identified (see Table.1/A2), 66 species of bird (see Table 2/A2, 5 species of reptile and 3 amphibians (see Table 3/A2), and a number of aquatic fauna (see Table 41A2).
1 A similar survey at Fernbrook, Marrangaroo, like most time limited EIS surveys gave a similar number of terrestrial species as that found during the Baal Bone survey. I ri 3.9 Climate
I The closest meteorological station where Temperature is recorded is at Lithgow, 27 km away. It is considered that the meso-climate at the site, due to the local meteorological features, is sufficiently different from that at Lithgow as to make Lithgow temperature data irrelevant for the purposes of this document. In contrast, the rainfall data from surrounding towns is considered to be of relevance as base- line information. The comments concerning the airflow patterns are of course of Li specific relevance.
I
I I 33 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 3.9.1 Airflow patterns 1 The assessment of airflow patterns over the area is by inference, calling upon known relationships between active or passive air movement and the form of the I terrain (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981b). The local relief within the proposed extension area is similar to that about the Pit Top region. The nearby hills and plateau surface rise to elevations in excess of 1,000 m, or about 150 m above the I general basal level of the valley floor. The lowlands area adjacent to Ben Bullen Creek is about 1.5 km in width, and this lowlands extends in a northwesterly direction, broadening out to about 2 to 3 km downstream from the junction with Jews Creek. A branch of this lowlands extends in a northeasterly direction into the I southern portion of the proposed lease area.
With the exception of these winds from the northwest being channelled to the I northeast along the valley mentioned above there is within this valley a degree of sheltering from the nearby uplands (Ref. Plate 1.1) For northwesterly winds, there is a clear fetch of approximately 12 km upwind of the proposed lease. Ben Bullen Range to the southwest provides some sheltering from south-westerly winds. I However, the slopes to the southwest are moderate, and this upland area is dissected by long straight valleys which converge toward the south west corner of the proposed lease. With stronger winds from between southwest and southeast, I funnelling through gaps in the upper levels of the Ben Bullen Range and along these valleys can be expected.
3.9.2 Rainfall and Evaporation
Mean annual rainfall is estimated to be between 700 and 900 mm and mean I evaporation estimated to be approximately 1200 mm (see data below). Dry surface conditions extending over periods of a week or longer can occur at all times of the year (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981a).
1 Reliable rainfall records are not available for the lease area.There is only three years of data available from the Baal Bone mine site and these were recorded during low rainfall years. Portland, 15 km to the south-west has records from 1899, Capertee I about 15 km in the other direction has records from 1895, Sofala, for the period 1892 to 1978, and Sunny Corner for the period 1903 to 1978 have also been used
Li] I I I I 34 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Table 3.4 Rainfall for Surrounding Towns 1 I Gauge Annual average Portland 847 mm I Capertee 682 mm Sofala 648 mm Sunny Corner 919 mm I Baal Bone(1983-85) 667 mm
I Table 3.5 I Baal Bone Rainfall I Means for the Period 1982 to 1985 using all Available Data - I I Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Year I
Mean Rainfall(mm)68 42 49 58 51 33 58 56 48 58 57 41 667 I 141 I Mean No.Raindays 6 11 7 8 10 14 17 15 15 12 9 10 I Table 3.6 Mean Monthly Evaporation for Bathurst Meteorological Station
I I Month mm I Jan 211 I Feb 162 Mar 130 Apr 84 May 50 I Jun 33 Jul 37 Aug 56 I Sept 81 Oct 118 Nov 162 I Dec 217 I Annual average 1,341 Data for the Baal Bone area are not available. They are expected to be less than I those for Bathurst. I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I S 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality
[1 Two creeks flow through the proposed lease area, Jew's Creek and Baal Bone Creek which joins Jews Creek within the area. A third, Ben Bullen Creek, flows along the western boundary, outside the proposed lease, through the disturbed old open-cut area about the pit-top site. A number of sub-catchments contained within I the proposed lease area and the main lease area drain to Baal Bone and Jew's Creeks. Jew's Creek flows ultimately into the Burrendong Dam via the Turon and S Macquarie Rivers.
The northern extremity of the area of CLA 192 like that of the main Baal Bone lease area does not extend across the watershed of the Great Dividing Range which is near but short of the escarpment. It is to be noted that the Pantoneys Crown Nature Reserve catchment area is separated from the Baal Bone catchment (Jews I Creek and tributaries) by the watershed. I The water quality changes little as Baal Bone Creek and Jews Creek flow through the cleared agricultural area. Immediately downstream of the boundary of the proposed lease Jew's Creek skirts the edge of and receives leachates from the I overburden material from that part of the old open-cut area noted above. The monitoring data (Table 3.6) are collected at this point. The high maximum values and variability (standard deviation) of the data are a consequence of leachates, I following moderate to heavy rain, flowing into the creek immediately above the sampling point. The minimum values are considered to be more representative of I these water quality parameters of the creek as it crosses the proposed lease area. TABLE 3.7
Li Summary of Water Analyses I Jews Creek Monitoring Point [BB J], 1983-88 pH SC NFR FR G&O SO4 T.Fe F.Fe Zn Al I jtS/c mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
MEAN: 6.6 110 15 96 17 .68 <.38 <.02 .70 ri ST.DEV.: .3 80 22 52 17 .67 MAX: 7.5 404 123 260 75 3.13 .80 .08 MIN: 5.5 50 <1 10 2 .06 <.02 <.02 I N: 42 34 40 38 28 34 5 14 1 I E I 36 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I I LEGEND
SC = Specific Conductance NFR = Non Filtrable Residue I FR = Filtrable Residue T.Fe = Total Iron F.Fe = Filtrable Iron El O&G = Oil and Grease SO4 = Sulphate Zn = Zinc VS = Volatile Solids 1 -' = Insufficient NFR for VS analysis Al = Aluminium * = Data not used in statistical I analysis I Changes in water quality in that part of the catchment below Lease Application area No. 192 (i.e., Ben Bullen Creek, and Jews Creek below the boundary of the lease F application area) due to leachates from the open-cut overburden have resulted in differences in aquatic fauna upstream and downstream of the open-cut area (Nexus I Environmental Studies, 1981b).
However, as the creek system within the proposed lease has not been subject to I impact from leachates it is likely that the aquatic fauna in Jew's Creek immediately upstream of the overburden dumps at the western boundary of the proposed lease [-I area is little different from that within the natural habitat at the eastern boundary.
El 3.10.1 Stream Gauging Records
Li Neither Jews Creeks nor Baal Bone Creek have been gauged. However, according to Bell and Gatenby (1969), the average annual runoff from catchments in this area is about 150 mm. This would produce a mean annual flow of 2,700 x 103 M3 for I the Jews Creek catchment above Ben Bullen Creek. Stream flow records taken by the Water Resources Commission for over 30 years on a similar sized catchment (15 km at Tarana, station 035, on the fish river about 1 30 km from the lease) have been used as the best available data for estimation of rainfall runoff within the lease catchment.
I The records have been adjusted in proportion to the relative area of the catchment of Jews Creek above Ben Bullen Creek to that at the Tarana gauging station. fl-i
I rl 1 37 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I TABLE 3.8 Stream Gauging Records I Stream gauging DWR Station 035 (Extrapolated from 15 Km2 to 18 km2)
L-1 Yr Annual Flow Lowest 3 Mths Min Flow M3 x 103 M3 x 103/Mth M3/day
U 1955 4390 106 1236 1956 8061 123 2194 1957 694 429 147 1958 2472 480 294 I 1959 2483 117 939 1960 3980 677 734 1961 1602 600 939 El 1962 1807 549 528 1963 5676 239 N.A. 1977 1249 471 406 I 1978 N.A. 359 N.A. 1980 693 137 204 1981 2953 326 201 [1 1982 309 111 49 LI Records from 1963 to 1977 are available but have been excluded for brevity. I 3.11 Acoustic Environment
Much of the area of CLA 192 is shielded from the existing mine site and from I Mudgee Road by topography and vegetation. Noise impact from site operations is limited to four rural residences. All with the exception of the property "Homestead" are outside the lease area. Other homesteads are 0.5 to 2 km.distant. Cullen Bullen I is 4 km south of the site. Ambient noise levels are low throughout the proposed lease area, being typical of a generally undisturbed rural area. The main noise sources over much of the area are I birds, winds, rustling leaves etc. (i.e., 25-30 dB(A) during the night and 30-35 dB(A) during the day). Noise from vehicles on the Mudgee Road is barely above I background level at the south western boundary. I Li I Li 1 38 Enviromnental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 3.12 Archaeological Context I Archaeological Relics identified within the proposed lease (Ref. Fig.3.6) area include five "open sites (scatters of stone artefacts) and four isolated artefacts. The I open sites are typical of those in this area of the Blue Mountains. They are small, the largest having 40 artefacts and the remainder 5 to 12. Artefacts are widely distributed through the study area, either as components of sites or isolated, but all are situated on spurs or gentle slopes above watercourses and the flood plain.(see I Appendix 4).
The sites appear to be superficial with little likelihood of stratified deposit, with the I possible exception of site 1. It is likely that the area was transiently occupied for foraging rather than permanently occupied (see Discussion by Brayshaw, I Appendix 4) I I I I I P I I H H I I I 39 Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December1989 ARCHAELOGICAL SITES P FIG. 3.6 I I I Li 1
I NE 1 I I I Li I I El El I I I 40 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Section 4. Environmental Interactions and Impacts I The potential areas of environmental impact on that portion of the proposed extension to the Baal Bone holdings which is proposed to be undermined arise I from the possible effects of surface subsidence. These are: * impact on surface terrain and features i.e., cliff line collapse, rock falls, I and permanent cracks, e.g., large openings on rock surfaces; * impact on surface drainage lines, stream flow, bank stability, and water I quality; .* impact on ground water hydrology; I * impact on local flora and fauna due to the consequences of the above subsidence effects on vegetation communities and animal habitats; I * impact on archaeological sites and relics; * impact on man made structures, i.e., the Fish River Water supply I pipeline, access tracks, and one residence.
I 4.1 Mining induced Subsidence
I Some degree of surface subsidence occurs as a result of most methods of underground coal extraction. However, the magnitude of surface movement is largely dependent upon the degree of extraction. Degrees of extraction range from I complete (removal of pillars), through partial (where some 5 0-70 % of the coal may remain as pillars after first workings), to none (leaving of barriers). The modern longwall method (more correctly termed panel and pillar) involves extraction of a coal seam across a wide panel using temporary roof support at the I working face, allowing controlled caving of the roof strata behind the face. (Toyer and Main, 1981). With this method approximately 94 % of the coal may be I extracted. Most modern underground mines use the longwall mining method of coal extraction. Baal Bone Colliery intends to use this method within the proposed lease 1 extension. The preferred mine plan is given in figure 2.3.1. In this method all the coal within the seam for the width of the wall or panel is extracted as the wall advances. The stratum above the panel is allowed to collapse behind the advancing wall. The parallel longwall panels are separated from each other by single row I chain pillars.associated with the maingate and tailgate development headings. A profile of surface subsidence produced by longwall mining is that of a trough across the width of the panel. Maximum subsidence is at the centre of the panel. I Thus the typical cross sectional pattern of subsidence produced is that of a series of troughs. The maximum subsidence, measured by a monitoring grid above the first longwall panel at Baal Bone is about 1.5 metres. This is consistent with that I predicted by the Environmental Impact Assessment (Environment & Planning, I I 41 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
I Dept.,1982). As the area proposed to be mined (Ref. Fig. 2, A5) has a depth of cover above the seam ranging from 25 to 190 metres it is predicted by the geotechnical consultant (Appendix 5) that the maximum subsidence will be about I 1.5 metres. The angle of draw defines in practice the limit of ground disturbance. It is a convenient parameter used extensively for fixing the size of coal pillars which are I left unmined under sensitive natural and man-made structures. In NSW at present the safety pillar width is generally fixed, with some exceptions, on the basis of a 35 degree angle of draw. Empirical evidence from work carried out in the Southern and Newcastle coalfields of NSW suggests that the current norm of fixing the I safety pillar size on the basis of a 35 degree draw angle is ultra-conservative and that a much lower value, perhaps between 15.0 and 26.5 degrees may be more appropriate (Holla, 1986). The data collected from the subsidence grid established I above the initial longwall panels of the Baal Bone mine indicates an angle of draw of 26 degrees. This empirical parameter will be used to define the limits of longwall r mining adjacent to those surface features which are to be protected. L
LII 4.2 Predicted Subsidence
I 4.2.1 Valley Floor Area
I The overburden cover in the Valley floor area is from 25m to 50m (see Fig 2, Appendix 5). The report on subsidence prediction (Appendix 5) suggests that maximum subsidence is likely to be between 60% and 80% of mining thickness, 1 i.e. between 1.2m and 1.5m, and that with the cover between.- 25m and 50m, subsidence should be discontinuous and accompanied by surface cracking. In the shallow areas (<30m) there is likely to be a distinct step in the vertical subsidence I roughly above the edge of the mined area. Cracks will appear along the edges of longwalls and parallel to the retreating faces. However, the cracks parallel to a face will open and then close as the face passes through. Cracks along the line of a chain pillar are likely to remain open although in areas of reasonably thick soil I cover they are likely to collapse and wash in during rain. I 4.2.2 Slopes and Plateau Area I Where the cover is in the range 60m to lOOm, the predicted maximum subsidence (Appendix 5) is likely to be about 60% of the mined thickness, i.e. 1.2m to 1.5m. I Cracking can be expected in the surface in much the same manner as in the deeper cover portion of the river flat area. I While total subsidence is likely to remain about 60% of mining thickness, where the cover is greater than about 150m surface strains are likely to be reasonably smooth. Strains may be concentrated where there are abrupt changes in E topography, such as along cliff lines. I 42 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery Li December 1989 I I 4.3 Subsidence effects on surface facilities and features
The effects of subsidence on existing surface facilities and features will arise from I two phenomena, namely: surface tensile strains and associated cracking and tilting of the ground surface
I increases in vertical permeability of the strata above the workings Ii Surface strains and tilting may affect: - cliff line stability, I - the integrity of the Fish River (water supply) Pipeline, and - surface structures. I Increases in vertical permeability could, in principle, affect the flow of streams or could result in the drainage of ponds. I 4.3.1 Effects of Surface Strains on the Water Supply Pipeline I The geotechnical report (Appendix 5) suggests that as the cover between the workings and the pipeline varies between about 25m and 60m surface strains are Li likely to be discontinuous, but with average maximum tensile strains in the range 20 to 30 mm per metre. Average maximum compressive strains may be in the range I 40 to 70 mm/rn. As a consequence of the state of the pipeline (see Section 4.1.1, Appendix 5) the geotechnical report concludes that the line is likely to be disrupted as a result of I longwall extraction. It is proposed to replace part of the pipeline above the workings, one (or possibly more) section at a time, with welded steel line designed to withstand the anticipated El subsidence. This line would be above the ground so as to "average out" areas of high tensile strain and discontinuous subsidence (cracking). Maintenance work on Li this line will be carried out as required during and following undermining. I 4.3.2 Effects of Surface Strains on the Homestead Building
The only building on CLA 192 is the homestead located in the cleared agricultural I area. All of the alternative mining plans propose to mine below this structure by the bord and pillar method and not the longwall method. Thus, subsidence can be I prevented by limiting the extraction of coal below this structure to first workings. I I 43 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 Ll I 4.3.3 Effects of Surface Strains on the Cliff-lines
I The area marked A on Figure 4.1 contains the only length of significant cliff-line development within CIA 192 that might be affected by mining.
It is estimated (Sect. 4.1.3, Appendix 5) that the total subsidence along the toe of I the hillside is likely to be about 1.5m, whereas beneath the cliff tops it is likely to be about 1.2m. I Based on the geometry of the cliff-line, the dominant jointing, and the possible mining directions, it is concluded (Sect. 4.1.3, Appendix 5) that mining is likely to cause opening and closing of the two dominant joint systems. Movements on the NNW-SSE joints are unlikely to lead to cliff falls. However, joint opening and P block rotation associated with the WSW-ENE set could lead to slab failures and partial collapse of some of the "sentinels" forming the cliff-line, accelerating the natural cliff-line retreat which is an on-going process on the geological time scale. I Should partial collapse occur some associated vegetation down slope would be destroyed. However, it is considered that this would be negligible in terms of the extent of the vegetation community below this cliff-line. Likewise, any erosion I consequent to partial collapse would be negligible as would the destruction of faunal habitat. Should partial collapse occur scenic amenity would be spoiled to some small extent in the local vicinity, that is, from that portion the road below the cliff-line and from high points in line of sight. It should be accepted, however, that I arguments of loss of scenic amenity, when applied to relatively small scale disturbances common in the same land system, that is, of the same scale and nature as many naturally occurring cliff collapse of sandstone plateau systems, are I arguably subjective. Alternative mine plans, are under consideration, which do not involve the total I extraction beneath the cliffs of Area A. I I I I I I I 44 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 PLAN OF PREFERRED MINING(WITH SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY) I FIG. 4.1 I I I I Li LI
I I I I I I I
7-1 I 45 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I 4.3.4 Effects on Surface and Ground-water Hydrology I Strata above longwall panels (goaf) are likely to be disrupted for a height of 20m to 40m. Above this height the strata will tend to deflect and sag rather than break up I into blocks. Within the goaf there is likely to be an increase in mass permeability. However, above the goaf, permeability changes will be confined to joints which are opened or to new cracks formed along the edges of the panels and parallel to the I retreating face (Sect. 4.1.4, Appendix 5). Although it is likely that discrete subsidence cracks will be formed in the valley floor area such cracks are not likely to be continuous features extending from the I workings through to the surface. Such cracks usually step up through the major beds of sandstone, conglomerate and siltstone (see Fig. 3, Appendix 5). I Whilst it is possible for temporary stream capture of Baal Bone Creek, the consultants conclude (Sect. 4.1.3, Appendix 5) that should stream capture occur it is probable that this would only be short term. This is because the creek area is covered with clayey sand slope-wash and alluvial soils which is likely to facilitate I the clogging and sealing of surface cracks. I 4.4 Stream Flow and Water Supply
The sub-catchments contained within the proposed lease extension area drain to Jews Creek and ultimately into the Burrendong Dam via the Turon River and I Macquarie River Systems.
(Ben Bullen Creek which flows through the present mine site joins Jew's Creek I outside the western boundary of the proposed lease.) The consequence of longwall mining subsidence to stream flow is likely to be variable although to some extent predictable given the location of longwall panels. I The steeper the hydraulic gradient the less the possibility that stream flow.will be impeded. Of the two streams within the proposed lease area only one, Baal Bone Creek, could be affected by subsidence. Jews Creek which runs north-east to I south-west near to the western boundary will not be undermined. Baal Bone Creek runs roughly from east to west across the proposed lease, and in I the region adjacent to area A of fig. 4.1 it runs obliquely across the proposed path of the longwall panels. The gradient of Baal Bone Creek at any point within the proposed lease is about 0.86 m vertical per 100 m horizontal. From the subsidence trough data mentioned above and for a longwall panel 200 m in width the I maximum decrease as well as increase in the gradient along alternate portions of the creek may be about 1.5 m per 100 m. The consequence of this is that additional ponding or the inundation of adjacent low lying areas might be expected to occur I along that portion of the creek.mentioned above As noted in section 4.3.4 what is uncertain in respect of the affect of subsidence on I the flow of Baal Bone Creek is the extent and depth of surface cracking and the I I 46 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989
consequent increase in the rate of surface to ground-water ingress. As longwall mining has only recently been introduced into this geological environment there is little definitive data on this subject. (The measures to mitigate the impact of this I possibility are given in section 5). As Jews Creek itself will not be undermined the contribution of the upper Jews Creek catchment to water volume flowing from the site will not be diminished. I This will guarantee a supply of water to the downstream users as well as the homestead located within the area of CIA 192. I 4.5 Water Quality
The present low intensity of agricultural activities within the cleared area would I have minimal affect on the quality of the water in Jews Creek as it flows across the proposed lease area. It is not expected that such minimal changes in water quality would result in differences in aquatic fauna upstream and downstream of the cleared area. This is in contrast with the significant change in aquatic fauna from I those upstream in Jews Creek to those below the conjunction with Ben Bullen Creek (downstream from the proposed lease extension) as indicated in the I STREIS, (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981b). As it is not proposed that coal handling facilities, dirty water handling facilities, or mine de-watering facilities be placed within the proposed lease extension there will I be no threat to the aquatic system from such sources. A possible source of contamination could be from suspended soil material (non- filtrable residue) washed into the drainage system as a consequence of stream bank I instability following subsidence. However, that portion of the creek line to be undermined is covered with an alluvial soil with a high organic content (associated with the impeded drainage of the Closed-heath formation). This type of soil is not I likely to remain in suspension for any protracted period of time (as is the dispersable clays found elsewhere). Moreover, as previously noted, this type of soil material facilitates the clogging and sealing of surface cracks. As a consequence significant amounts of suspended material is not expected to be I produced by subsidence effects on the stream bank.
As noted previously neither Jews Creek and its tributaries nor any of the I downstream water systems into which it flows are currently classified under the N.S.W. Clean Waters Act. Nevertheless, as also noted earlier, the company recognises the conservation values of the region and in particular the downstream I riverine environment and stream ecosystem. I 4.6 Impact on Vegetation Communities: Structure and Floristics
The following salient points are noted from the Report of Vegetation Surveys, I (Appendix 1) The potential impact of mining on the different plant communities will vary. The I only significant potential impacts to the communities are from the alteration of the I LI 47 P1 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989
drainage pattern and cliff collapse.by mining subsidence.
On a broad scale (national) the communities present in the proposed lease extension are considered moderately to reasonably conserved by Specht, Roe and Broughton I (1974).
In the regional context the impact of removing portions of the vegetation I communities other than the Open-Forest (Eucalyptus viininalis, E. daliyinpleana association (also described in the STREIS (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981b), as a Riparian Grassy Open Forest) and other than the Closed-sedge/Closed-heath community, is likely to be minimal as the other communities are widely represented I in the region. Similarly, in the local context the impact on the communities, other than on the two mentioned above, is likewise likely to be minimal.
I The plateau surface communities (Nos. 1, 2 and 3) are fairly well represented in the region. It is unlikely that mining will have any substantial impact on the vegetation of these as their distribution is dependent on the degree of exposure, soil depth and I fertility rather than soil moisture. Fire frequency and intensity, and subsequent erosion will have a greater impact than possible effects of mining (Vegetation Survey, 1983).
The E. virninalis E. dairympleana association however, is poorly represented, regionally due to past clearing for agricultural purposes. I The tree Eucalyptus apiculata has a classification of 2V, indicating that this species has a maximum geographic range of 100 km, and is a "vulnerable species" not presently endangered (Leigh, Briggs and Hartley, 1981). I The vegetation most sensitive to possible changes in the drainage pattern occur along the valley floors (Buchanan, 1983). The closed-heath/ closed-sedgeland in the two areas of impeded drainage along the valley floors through which Baal Bone I Creek and Jews Creek flow would be the first to reflect changes in the water regime as the species are highly sensitive to slight changes in water-logging (Buchanan, 1983). In addition the sedgeland may be significant in water flow I regulation. However, as noted in sections 4.3.4 and 4.4, additional ponding may be expected to occur along only a short portion of Baal Bone Creek. Thus some of the heath Li and sedgeland plant community (Closed-sedge! Closed-heath) along this portion of the creek may be drowned and other parts drained. I Changes in drainage may also affect the distribution of E. viminalis and E. dalryinpleana along the valley floor. Potentially, a small increase in moisture may kill trees in some areas while a decrease would enable the trees to colonize marginal I habitats now dominated by Poa labillardieri and other monocotyledons. (Buchanan, 1983). This community is not well reserved in the region (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981) as much of it has been cleared for grazing.
I Although reasonably represented on a broad scale this community is not widely represented in the sub-region and its protection is a priority. The Vegetation Survey, 1983, reports that the part of the community along Baal Bone Creek (near Baal Bone Gap Road and Homestead Road) is of a high value, relative to those on the present holdings Authorisation Licence No, 161), as it is the most diverse and the least affected by man or introduced animals such as pigs. This particular patch I of this community extends down Baal Bone Creek well into the area of Coal Lease I I 48 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
Application No. 192 (see Vegetation Map, Fig 3.5).
It was suggested in the Vegetation Survey Report, (Buchanan,1983), that if cliff collapse is severe it may affect the abundance of the Casuarina nana and E. sp. aff I apiculata associations as they tend to occur on shallow soils just above the break of slope to the valleys. Cliff collapse would, however, have to be very extensive. Damage to these associations is not evident above the present longwall mining and I they are not considered to be at serious risk. The greater portion of the area of CLA 192 is undisturbed natural country. Within that portion that has been cleared for agricultural use there is only minimal need of I rehabilitation work, i.e., erosion control, and noxious weed eradication. As noted previously there is only a small part of the old open-cut workings located within the I western boundary of the area of CLA 192. This cut is now a water filled lagoon.
I 4.7 Impact on Fauna and Habitat
I The following is a summary of the possible impacts and interactions highlighted in the Report of Faunal Surveys (Appendix 2). I It was observed (Denny, 1981) that large mammals were in low density at the Baal Bone pit top site. The same is true for the adjacent cleared area of the proposed lease extension. It was deduced that persistent shooting of these animals has produced a low population of wary animals. Interviews with the land-owner and I observations of and evidence of night-time shooters supports this conclusion. Consequently most kangaroos, wallabies and wombats keep to the more remote I forested areas. An important and sensitive habitat identified by the fauna survey was the swampy area (Closed-sedgeland! Closed-heathiand plant community) on Ben Bullen I Creek south-east of the pit top area. This area has been damaged by feral animals, particularly pigs, and is infested with blackberry and other weedy species. This habitat is found in the proposed lease extension along an extensive stretch of Baal Bone Creek as well as on Jews Creek. These areas, being adjacent to the I cleared areas, are in a similar condition and would support much the same animal communities as the sedgeland and heathland on Ben Bullen Creek.
H Other than the inundation and/or draining of a small part of this habitat by subsidence, the presence of feral animals, particularly pigs and cats, may be a threat to this habitat. However, only a limited amount of damage by feral animals, I to this habitat type on the proposed lease extension, has been done to date. Subsidence beneath the swamp on Baal Bone Creek may to a small extent reduce this habitat type. However, as noted in the Vegetation Survey report (Appendix 1) I there are a number of other patches of this habitat within the two lease areas which will not be disturbed (i.e., on Jews Creek and on Ben Bullen Creek). I The fauna of the proposed lease area does not contain species that are seriously threatened by the proposed activity. Two birds, the Tawny Grassbird, Meglurus timoriensis, and the Beautiful Firetail, Einblema bella, are uncommon in New I South Wales and restricted in their distribution. (Kingston and Allen, 1982). The Ii I 49 Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery December 1989
I alteration of surface drainage patterns could raise the water table and the depth of water in the swamps, drowning the heath and sedge vegetation. Any decrease in the vegetation cover would lead to a reduction in the numbers of swamp-associated mammals and a reduction in the numbers of swamp inhabiting birds including the I Tawny Grassbird and the Beautiful Firetail. They are not, however, considered to be at risk within the proposed lease extension as a consequence of the proposed I mining activities. A second Habitat type that has been recognised to be of particular significance is the sandstone outcrops.
I Rock falls could have an impact on faunal habitat in the following way. The Origma, Origina solitaria, nests under rock ledges and so some nests could be disturbed. However, Kingston and Allen (1982) did not consider this to represent a I serious threat to this species.
As there will be negligible disturbance to the other habitats of the proposed lease 1 extension small mammals within these will be little affected. The faunal survey found that all small mammals caught were relatively common in the region.
Rabbit numbers fluctuate widely with seasonal conditions, however, sport I shooting reduces what otherwise might be a larger population.
As noted in the previous section a small part of the old open-cut workings is I located within the western boundary of the proposed area. This cut is now a water - filled lagoon providing habitat for water fowl and the native water rat.
I In respect to the aquatic fauna of Jews Creek downstream of the proposed lease extension the faunal survey found that there was a significant impact from the overburden heaps of the old open-cut mine on Ben Bullen Creek. This tributary joins Jews Creek just outside the western boundary of the proposed lease I extension. Some of the ponds associated with the disturbed area showed a low number and diversity of species. This is attributable to the poor water quality of those ponds as a consequence of the leachates from the permeable overburden. As I a consequence there was a great difference between the number and diversity of the species of aquatic fauna found upstream and downstream of the overburden heaps in Ben Bullen Creek. Moreover the species diversity and population numbers of the aquatic fauna found in Jews Creek below the junction with Ben Bullen Creek was I low despite the dilution of the polluted water with the better quality water from the upstream catchment of Jews Creek. The distance downstream to which the fall off I in aquatic productivity extends is not known.
1 4.8 Impact on Archaeological Sites and Relics The sites identified during the present investigation are all small and all are to some extent disturbed. As noted in the Archaeological Survey a possible impact on I aboriginal open sites might be accelerated erosion due to alterations of drainage patterns as a result of subsidence (O'Connor, 1982, cited by Brayshaw, Appendix 4). However, all the aboriginal open sites and artefacts are located on elevated I ground. Thus the impact on these due to alterations of drainage patterns occasioned by surface subsidence is not likely Therefore it is not considered necessary to monitor subsidence effects on those sites above longwall mining (Brayshaw, I Appendix 4). I I 50 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 4.9 Impact on Scientific Information within Peat Deposits I As noted previously, in parts of the swamps there are peat deposits up to two metres.in depth It is recognised that many peat deposits provide extremely valuable I repositories of scientific information on past climatic and vegetation history. However, while there is a potential scientific research value of the peat deposits this value is not known. Notwithstanding this, whilst changes in drainage of the swamps may occur, it is not considered that there will be a significant loss of I scientific value to the peat deposits themselves. I 4.10 Fire Hazard
The frequency of the occurrence of bushfires and the susceptibility of the area to fire hazard is not examined systematically in this document. All of the present Baal Bone Lease was burnt in December 1977 as well as a small portion of the south east corner of the proposed lease extension area. (Toyer and Main, 1981, Fig. 7).
I I I I 71 El
[1 I I Li 51 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Section 5. Measures to protect the Environment I 5.1 Mitigation of the Impacts of Ground Subsidence I The mining plan will take into account the likely zones of subsidence hazard. The various landform elements in the surface above the proposed mining areas, particularly the escarpments, will be given special consideration in the design of mining plans to minimise subsidence effects. In consultation with the DME the company will take into account the structural stability and predicted response to subsidence movements of escarpments and the creation of appropriate buffer I zones. Monitoring of mining operations will be undertaken where critical landforms may be affected. These are matters for definition by the Department of 1 Minerals and Energy as a condition of any lease approval. Figures 2.3.1 to 2.3.4 of this document indicate alternative mining plans which show those areas to be excluded from mining. The proposed lease area includes prominent and important cliff lines which potentially may be affected by mining induced subsidence. The damage may however be minimised depending on the orientation and positioning of the longwall blocks and chain pillars.
Regular monitoring of subsidence in this area will be undertaken. Appropriate further limitations to mining may be required should evidence of cliff collapse or potential collapse arise.
As previously indicated the minister for Minerals and Energy through the Department of Minerals and Energy has a specific responsibility to set appropriate barriers and limitations to mining to prevent subsidence damage to important I surface features. The DMIE sets suitable limits to mining and continually reviews the data from the subsidence monitoring programme.
I Measures will be taken to protect Baal Bone creek from the possibility of the "capture" of the flow in the creek by the underground workings. For obvious economic reasons the company is concerned to minimise the ingress of water into the mine workings. Thus mine plans will be under constant review and restrictions I to mining below Baal Bone creek made should data collected from the monitoring I program and the experience at other mines suggest this to be necessary. 5.2 Minimising the Impact on the Vegetation Communities
Protection of the vulnerable species, Eucalyptus apiculata and the E.viminalis I association is part of the environmental management/ monitoring programme. The Department of Planning has indicated that theE. vi,ninalis association and the sedgeland are considered to be of importance and that the company would need to I exercise care in minimising or preventing damage to or destruction of these associations. Every effort will be made to protect the portion of this association along Baal Bone Creek as well as that along Ben Bullen Creek covered by I condition 17 (a) of the Development Consent.
I LI 52 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
I 5.3 Minimising the Impact on the Fauna The habitat most likely to be adversely affected by the activity associated with underground mining is that of the swampy sedgeland (Closed-sedge! Closed-heath of Vegetation Map, Fig. 1). This habitat is a valuable natural resource in that it is used by many animals for shelter and food. I The following measures will be taken to minimise disturbance to this habitat. Mining associated activities, on the surface, such as subsidence monitoring grids will not be placed within this habitat type. Care will be taken to ensure that a significant portion of the swamp habitat is not destroyed as a consequence of the I affects of surface subsidence. Preservation of the portion of this habitat on Jews Creek, by excluding mining within this part of the lease.will contribute to the 1 protection of the swamp-associated fauna.
5.4 Protection of Archaeological Relics
Comments and undertakings arising from the Archaeological Survey (Appendix 4) I are: Underground mining is not likely to have a significant effect on any of the I sites identified. Therefore neither monitoring nor any other form of action is required prior to commencing mining.
In the event of any surface activity likely to impact detrimentally upon the Pi sites, consent to destroy the sites in question will be sought from the Director of National Parks & Wildlife Service. (It is re-emphasised that no I surface activity within the area of CLA 192 is planned or anticipated.) In the event of an application being made for consent to destroy Site 1 an examination and analysis of sub-surface deposits would be undertaken.
I In the event of an application being made for consent to destroy any of the I sites the Windradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council will be informed. I 5.5 Fire Prevention and Weed Control
As the coal lease area lies within the Ben Bullen and Wolgan State Forests fire I prevention and fire fighting arrangements are largely the responsibility of the Forestry Commission. The company will, however, continue to co-operate with El the Commission in respect of fire prevention and control measures. The Forestry Commission is also responsible for the control of noxious weeds and I undertakes control measures as required. I I 53 Environmental Impact Statement, BaaI Bone Colliery I December 1989
1 5.6 Monitoring and Environmental Studies
Uncertainties concerning the extent and degree of impact of mining associated activities on the environment of the Coal Lease Application area will be resolved with the collection of data from the monitoring programme.
I A subsidence monitoring grid has been established above a portion of the initial longwall blocks to study the extent of vertical subsidence and horizontal strain, timing of subsidence effects, and whether subsidence would be continuous or I episodic. I I
I I I I
I I 1 I [1 54 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I Section 6 Evaluation and Justification of the Project
Clause 45(f) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, 1980, requires Environmental Impact Statements to justify the proposed development in I terms of environmental, economic and social considerations. I 6.1 Environmental Considerations
Discussion of the interactions between the project and the environment and consideration of the significance or importance of the impacts on the environment is I properly covered in the preceding sections of this document. The potential impacts on the environment, both on-site and off-site of the proposed lease area are, discussed in section 4. The measures to protect the environment, are discussed in I section 5. The justification for the expected detrimental impacts on the biophysical environment, however, is largely dependent on the positive impacts on the I economic and social environments. These affects are considerable as will be seen in this section. In weighing these positive socio-economic impacts against the negative biophysical impacts what has to be measured is not the possible or I potential negative impacts but the impacts that are reasonably expected after taking ' into consideration the safeguards adopted to mitigate the affects.
The company believes that this project can be clearly identified as one in which the benefits far outweigh the environmental costs. The environmental costs are minimal and the economic and social benefits are considerable as will be seen in the I following discourse.
6.2 Economic Considerations
6.2.1 Coal Resource
1 The existing recoverable reserves within the Baal Bone Lease are marginally adequate for the current mining operation. The addition of Coal Lease Application No. 192 will add some 10.275 million recoverable tonnes to the operation and I increase the life of the mine from the current fifteen (15) years to twenty (20) years. I, I I I Li 55 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I ri Table 6.1
Coal Reserves
Baal Bone Coal Lease Lease Application No. 192
Mineable In situ Reserves (mt) 72.00 17.75 Recoverable Reserves (mt) 26.00 10.275 I Marketable Reserves (mt) 8.22 Seam Thickness 2.10 - 2.70 2.40 - 2.45 I Seam Ash (% a.d.b.) 11.80- 17.50 13.20 - 17.10 d 6.2.2 Implications for Regional, State, and National Economies
Coal is an export commodity which earns Australia one of the highest export 1 revenue incomes at the present time. The contribution to the, regional, state and national economies by the coal mining industry is of major significance. The return to the state in terms of royalties, taxes, rail and port charges is in the order of I $23.00 per tonne of coal mined for export in the Western Coalfields. This represents about $43 million.per annum from the Baal Bone Colliery. This is in addition to the benefits to the national economy through income tax from the mine workers plus the earning of important export dollars to reduce the deficit in the I nations balance of payments. The contribution to the local or regional economy from coal mining is very significant as the industry is a major regional employer I along with the very strong mining support industries. Baal Bone Colliery is one of the most modern and efficient produces of export coal in Australia. In view of the existing and future international demands for coal and the price competitiveness of Baal Bone coal, it is desirable for the national economy I that the life of this mine be extended and the present production capacity I maintained. I 6.2.2.1 Maintenance of Direct Employment Positions
H Direct or 'Basic" employment positions are those directly employed by the collieries. The total employment of the mine is now 300.
From 1984 to 1988 there had been a net gain of 260 basic positions in the Western I Coal District (which includes Ulan Colliery). Fifty of these were due to the increase in manning at the Baal Bone Colliery over this period. However, due to the down turn in the industry, from 1986 to 1988, 577 positions were lost from this I Coalfield This represents a 26.5 % decrease from the 1986 work force. In the I I 56 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
1987-8 statistical year there was a loss in total employment of 353 (Joint Coal Board, 1989). The 300 positions at the Baal Bone Colliery now represents about 16.8 % of all positions in the district. 1 A large number of those who have left employment at the mines in this period have been those with many years experience. This has significantly reduced the skilled work force. At the time of writing the pool of unemployed miners (i.e., those with I experience and industry skills) has been reduced to zero. A large number of these skilled workers have been lost from the district if not the industry. Thus the colliery is very significant, in terms of maintaining basic positions and skills in the Western I Coalfields sub-region. Community Income Levels: It is estimated that the salaries and wages paid to the work force is $13.8 M annually. These payments represent direct additions to I local and regional household incomes. I 6.2.2.2 Creation of Jobs in the Private and Public Sectors I Indirect Effects and Induced Effects: I In addition to the direct effect there are indirect effects for the economy as a result of the production and consumption generated stimulus of the overall levels of economic activity. That is, income effects (income growth) in the local, regional, I and national economies occur as a result of wages and salaries paid to the direct work force. In addition to the above there are induced effects. Other industries in the region and elsewhere benefit from increased demand for their products i Employment in the coal mining industry has generated additional business for private enterprise involved in service industries, commerce, wholesaling, and retailing. The Public Sector also takes on a greater workload and regulatory I responsibility as a result of the increased mining and coal-power industry activity. This increase in opportunity and responsibility by the private and public sectors respectively is accompanied by the creation of new employment positions which, I for convenience, are defined as "non-basic".or indirect.
Employment multiplier effects attributed to the coal industry appear to vary I depending on the location of the activities, existing infrastructure and socio- economic conditions. There does not appear to be a published study which has determined the I employment multipliers for the Western Coalfields district. However, suitable employment multipliers have been borrowed from work by a number of researchers in districts within the nearby Hunter Valley. A number of these have been listed in the EIS for the Charbon Colliery Expansion, and used to estimate the I economic benefits to the western district from this development by Blue Circle Southern Cement Ltd. (Natural Systems Research Pty. Ltd., 198?)
[ii I I 57 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
Two types of employment multipliers are often used. Type 1: Direct + Indirect Employment / Direct Employment I Type 2: Direct + Indirect + Induced Employment / Direct Employment Natural Systems Research Pty. Ltd. quote studies in 1980 by Unisearch Ltd. to I produce multipliers for coal mining employment in the whole of the Hunter Valley: Type 1: 1.45 I Type 2: 2.43 For example the average wage for miners in the Western Coalfields in May 1988 was $46,124 (Joint Coal Board, 1989), and given that there are 300 people employed at the mine, then $13.8 million annually is directly injected into the I regional economy. Moreover, given a multiplier of 2.4 to encompass indirect and induced employment as a consequence of the Baal Bone mine, then the regional I economy benefits by approximately $33.2 Million per annum.
Table 6.2 estimates the economic impacts on the region 'in terms of direct, indirect, I induced, and total employment maintained by the Baal Bone Colliery using these multipliers.
I Table 6.2 Economic Impacts on the Region I Employment Income Li Number ($Mpa) I Direct impact 300 13.8 Indirect impact I {Multiplier: 1.5(Type 1)} 150 6.9 Induced impact {Multiplier: 2.4 (Type 2)} 270 12.5
I TOTAL 720 33.2 I P I I Li
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
1 6.2.2.3 Population Growth in the Western Coalfields
Increases in employment opportunities during the 1980's have been accompanied by a population increase in the Western Coalfields. The majority of the positions at the Baal Bone Colliery were filled with the progressive transfer of employees (about 230) from the Wallerawang Colliery. In addition to these there has been I about 70 new positions within the company created by the Baal Bone mine. These have mainly been filled with local unskilled and semi-skilled labour. I The relationship between the number of jobs which have been created by the Baal Bone Colliery and the resultant increase in population depends on the type of employment positions available. The Western Coalfields economy is industrially structured, and the overall percentage of the population in the sub-region work I force is relatively low (compared with the average in many urban areas which are not industrially dominated).
I However, while most of the employment at the collieries has relatively low female participation many of the induced positions in service industries and public and I private sector business are filled by women. When all effects are considered, and a multiplier of 2.4 is applied, it is estimated that the continued operation of the mine maintains over 700 positions within the I region. Tt is to be noted that the present proposal does not require additional positions to be established. Nevertheless continuing employment at Baal Bone and other collieries I is important in terms of maintaining the present level of population of the region.
1 6.3 Social Considerations
I The Western Coalfields district has experienced a sequence of social and economic changes during the last few decades. Unemployment and migration away from the area by younger people has been relatively high while the economy has been in a I state of relative depression. In addition to employment opportunities the Company has trained both skilled and I experienced labour in programmes approved by the regulatory authorities. The community has benefited through the enjoyment of:
$ . additional and broader social/ cultural recreational and residential opportunities; I . an improved degree of lifestyle amenity; . a greater range of community services; I higher income-earning potential. d 1 59 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I
While the Western Coalfields District will retain its industrial character, it is I practicable, in the context of modern technology and environmental protection techniques, to safeguard the community from the most damaging industrial impacts. Thus, while the community is able to benefit from the development and I economic growth provided by mining, comprehensive precautions will be taken to minimise disturbances to the environment. I 6.4 Consequences of Not Proceeding with the Project
This proposal will extend the productive life of the mine by five years guaranteeing I employment to the Colliery work force for this extended period and thereby keeping experienced labour within the region. It will also maintain the present economic benefits described in section 6.2 for an additional 5 years. If the project does not proceed, the coal within the proposed lease will be sterilised and the I proportionate socio -economic benefits forgone.
These socio-economic benefits which would otherwise be foregone can be I summarised as follows:-. Benefits to Regional. State. and National Economies
* Employment maintained and potential future employment generated; * Contribution to local and regional household incomes; * Maintenance of regional work force skill; 1 * Utilisation of existing infrastructure; * Taxes and royalties; * Local Government rates; A * Profit from Government provided services; * Maintenance of support industry; * State resources developed; I * Export earnings developed; Benefits to Coalex Pty. Ltd.
I * Extend operating life of mine * Maintain employment; * Maintenance of work force skill; I * Utiisation of existing infrastructure; * Maintain marketing; and * I Maintain a profit for the Company's shareholders. L] I I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I 6.5 Energy Statement I 6.5.1 Energy Consumption I Production of coal requires the consumption of energy in the form of petroleum products and electricity. The annual use and specific energies of the various I sources of energy are shown in Table 6.3. I Table 6.3 I Annual Usage and Specific Energies of Energy Sources
I Consum I Petroleum Products Distillate 648,577 L 38.5 MilL 24,970,215 MJ OR 301,604 L 40.5 MJ/L 12,214,962 MJ I Grease 3,357 Kg 45.0 MJ/kg 151,065 MJ 37,336,242 MJ 1 I I I I I I I I 1 61 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I 6.5.2 Energy Balance
I The energy balance for the project is presented in Table 6.4. I Table 6.4 I Annual Energy Balance Energy Output 1.87 Mtpa x 28 MJ/kg 52.36 x 10 MJ I Primary Energy Input Petroleum Products 0.37 x 109 MJ Electricity 1.87 Mtpa x 50.4 MJ/t * 0.09 x 109 MJ
Total Input 0.46 x 109 MJ
I Energy Balance 51.90 x 109 MJ I Ratio 1:114 * 50.4 MJ are required to produce 1 Tonne of steaming coal. I 11 6.5.3 Energy Sterilisation
Some coal within the proposed extension area will be sterilised unavoidably due to I geological constraints and environmental constraints. In respect to the geological constraints, the portion of the proposed lease to the north west of the fault zones will not be mined for economic reasons. The environmental constraints relate to the limitations to extraction below specified surface features. These constraints are I defined in the description of the geology and coal reserves (section 3.3). 11 In addition, losses will occur during the mining of the seam. A further loss in combustible material will result from the disposal of Washery rejects with an expected energy content of approximately 4 MJ/kg. This loss will I amount to about 15 % of ROM coal production and will represent about 1.12 x 109 MJ. I I I I 62 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I LI 6.5.4 Conclusions
I The proposed lease extends the coal resource of the Baa! Bone mine enabling coal which would otherwise be sterilised to be recoverable without the economic and environmental costs associated with additional mine infrastructure.
I Thus the proposal extends both the life of the mine and significantly improves the efficiency of recovery of the resource in the local and regional context.
I The ratio of output to input energy of approximately 114:1 compares more than favourably with the following ratios reported for coal mines in the Upper Hunter I Valley:- Black Hill Coal Mine; 59:1 (Sinclair Knight & Partners, 1983) I Hunter Valley No.2 Mine, Stage 1; 36:1 (Croft & Associates Pty. Ltd, 1984) Hunter Valley No.2 Mine, Stage 2; 51:1 (Croft & Associates Pty. Ltd, 1984) I Mt. Arthur North Coal Mine; 70:1 (Sinclair Knight & Partners, 1981) Rixs Creek Coal Mine, Stage 2; 68:1 (Croft & Associates Pty. Ltd, 1988) I I LI I I I I I I I I r Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I
I 7. REFERENCES
I Bell, F. C. and Gatenby, M. T (1969) Effects of Exotic Softwood Afforestation on Water Yield. Bull. No. 15. Water Research Foundation ofAustralia.
Benson, D.H. (1979) Vegetation Surveys of the Colo River - Wallerawang Area. Report prepared I by National herbarium of N.S.W. for Electricity Commission of N.S.W. (unpublished). Brian Stone Environmental Services (1988) Baal Bone Colliery, Environmental Monitoring LI Report 1987, prepared for The Wallerawang Collieries Propriety .Limited. (unpublished). I Buchanan, R.A. (1983). Coalex Propriety. Ltd. Baal Bone Colliery. Vegetation Survey (Authorisation Licence No. 161). August 1983.(unpublished.). Buchanan, R.A. (1987). The Wallerawang Collieries Ltd. Baal Bone Colliery. Vegetation Report, I December 1987. (unpublished.). Croft & Associates Pty. Ltd., (1984). Hunter Valley No. 2 Mine, Environmental Impact Statement prepared for Coal & Allied Operations Pty. Ltd. Denny, M.J.S. (1981).Report on the Impact of Coal Mining Upon Fauna at the Baal Bone Site, Cullen Bullen, N.S.W, in: Nexus Environmental Studies (1981). Environmental I Impact Statement. Baal Bone Colliery, August. 1981, prepared for Coalex Propriety. Ltd. by Nexus Environmental Studies (unpublished.). I Environment and Planning, Dept. (1982).Proposed Baal Bone Colliery. Environmental Impact Assessment. Sydney, June 1982 82/30. Hamilton, G.J. (1976). The Soil Resources of the Hawkesbury River Catchment, N.S.W J. Soil I Cons. Service, N.S.W (32), 204-229. In: Toyer, G.S., and Main, S. (1981) Environmental Implications of Future Underground Coal Mining Developments on the Newnes Plateau, N.S.W, with Particular Emphasis on Regional Water Quality I Aspects, Geological Survey Report No. GS 1981/242, Dec.1981, Revision Jan. 1983.
Holla, L. (1986). Evaluation of Surface Subsidence Characteristics in the Newcastle Coalfields of I NSW. The Coal Journal, No. 11, 1986. Howard, TM. (1981). Assessment of Impact on Vegetation and Recommendations for Landscaping, Tree Planting and Rehabilitation, in: Nexus Environmental Studies I (1981). Environmental Impact Statement. Baal Bone Colliery, August. 1981, prepared for Coalex Propriety. Ltd. by Nexus Environmental Studies. (unpublished.). I Joint Coal Board, (1989). Black Coal In Australia, 1987 - 88. A Statistical Year Book, February, 1989. Kingston, T.J., and Allen D. (1982). The Fauna of the Angus Place Colliery Lease. Carried out I for MacDonald Wagner and Priddle Propriety Limited by The Australian Museum. September, 1982 (unpublished.).
I I 64 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I
Kingston, T.J., Puisford, I.F. and Smith, P. (1979). Faunal Survey of the Newnes Plateau! Cob I River Area. Carried out for The Electricity Commission of N.S.W. by The Australian Museum, September, 1979 (unpublished.) Leigh, J., Briggs, J. and Hartley, W. (1981) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Special Publication No. 7. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. Natural Systems Research Pty. Ltd., (198?). Environmental Impact Statement, Charbon Colliery I Expansion, Blue Circle Southern Cement Ltd. Prepared by Natural Systems Research Pty. Ltd. (unpublished.).
Nexus Environmental Studies (1981a) Baal Bone Colliery, August. 1981, prepared for Coalex I Propriety. Ltd. by Nexus Environmental Studies (unpublished.). Nexus Environmental Studies (1981b), Supplementary Technical Report (to EIS). Baal Bone I Colliery, August. 1981, prepared for Coalex Propriety. Ltd. by Nexus Environmental Studies.
Nexus Environmental Studies (1982), Addendum to the Baal Bone Colliery EIS, prepared for I Coalex Propriety. Ltd. by Nexus Environmental Studies. O'Connor, S. (1982) Underground mining and subsidence: possible effect on Aboriginal sites. I National Parks & Wildlife Service Information Sheet SOC:BH. Pells, P.J.N., Braybrooke, J.C., Mong, J., and Kotze, G.P. (1987). Cliff line collapse associated with mining activities. In: Walker & Fell (eds). Soil Slope Instability and I Stabilisation, Balkema, Rotterdam.
Sinclair Knight & Partners, (1981). Mount Arthur North Coal Project, Environmental Impact I Statement prepared for the Electricity Commission of N.S.W Sinclair Knight & Partners, (1983). Black Hill Coal Mine, Environmental Impact Statement I prepared for Mount Sugarboaf Collieries Pty. Ltd. Specht, R.L., Roe, E.M. and Broughton, V.H. (1974) Conservation of Major Plant Communities in Australia and Papua and New Guinea. Aust. J. Bot. Supplement 7.
1 Standing Committee on Coalfield Geology of New South Wales (1980) lbyer, G.S., and Main, S. (1981) Environmental Implications of Future Underground Coal I Mining Developments on the Newnes Plateau, N.S.W, with Particular Emphasis on Regional Water Quality Aspects, Geological Survey Report No. GS 1981/242, Dec.1981, Revision Jan. 1983. I Whittaker, B.N., Singh, R.N., and Neate, C.J., (1979) Effect of Longwall Mining on Ground Permeability and Subsurface Drainage in Proceedings of the First International Mine I Drainage Symposium, x'Denver Co. May, 1979. 161-183.
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I
I I I I I I APPENDIX 1 I I Report of Vegetation Surveys I I I [1 I I Li I I [j I Li I Li
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliexy I December 1989 Li APPENDIX 1 I I Report of Vegetation Surveys (Vegetation of the Area of Coal Lease Application No. 192) I
1 Introduction I 2 Summary 3 Methods I 3.1 Vegetation Mapping 3.2 Plant Species List F 4 Plant Communities and Associations 5 Possible Impacts of Mining On Vegetation Communities I 6 Biological Importance of the Plant Communities I I I 1 Introduction
The vegetation mapping classification system adopted is that used in the Baal Bone I Colliery Vegetation Survey of August 1983 (over the area of authorisation Licence No.161). That is, the vegetation has been delineated according to a two level classification system. The broad scale classification (Alliance) is that of Specht, I Roe and Broughton (1974) and is useful at a State and Continental scale. The smaller scale classification (Communities and Associations) of D.H. Benson of the National Herbarium of N.S.W, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney is in part a I subdivision of the Alliance and is best suited to Regional and locality surveys. The data are presented in the form of a map of the communities (Fig. 1/Appendix 1) as described by the dominant canopy species, a species list, and a description of the I communities in relation to geology, slope and aspect. I I I ------
VEGETATION MAIN CANOPY FORMATION SPECIES
Open Forest E sieberi,E piperita
Woodland E. rossi,E. oblonga
Open Heath Casuarina nano, Leptospermum arachnoids L viscidum
Open Scrub E. sp. off. apiculata
Woodland E. rossi
Woodland E. mannifera,E. dives IN
Woodland E. pauuciflora,E. rubida r1 Open Forest E. viminalis,E. dairympleana
Closed Heath Leptospermum obovatum, L. flavescens Grevillea acanthifolla
VEGETATION COMMUNITIES I 4 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery 1 December 1989 I I 2 Summary Ii A significant portion of the proposed lease extension, is covered by the Eucalyptus macrorhyncha - E. rossii alliance (woodland and open-forest) of Specht, Roe and I Broughton (1974). In areas of impeded drainage along the creeks, closed-heath! closed-sedgeland (Community 5) is found. This community is not readily classified using the system of Specht, Roe and Broughton (1974) however R.A. Buchanan I notes (Vegetation Survey, August 1983) that the Carex gaudichaudiana and Epacris paludosa - Sphagnum cristatuin alliances provide the closest description. A further alliance included in the proposed lease area is that of the Open-heath dominated by Casuarina nana (also Community 3, Fig. 1/Al). This occurs only in the very I shallow soils on the most exposed ares of the plateau. The balance of the lease extension area is cleared land. The five communities and nine associations identified in the CLA 192 area as described hereunder are all represented in the [11 lease of Authorisation Licence No.161 and fully described in the original vegetation survey and subsequent surveys. I
I Community 1. Open-forest formation: Dominant Canopy Species: Eucalyptus sieberi, E. piperita I (plateau surface) [TI Community 2. Woodland formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E. rossii, E. oblonga P (plateau surface)
Community 3. Open-heath formation: Li Dominant Canopy Species: Casuarina nana, Leptospermum arachnoides, Lepidosperina viscidum I Open scrub formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E .sp. aff. apiculata I Woodland formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E. rossii, E. piperita I (on the shallow soils of the higher parts of the plateau). I I I 5 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Community 4. Woodland formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: E. mannifera, E. dives Woodland formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E. pauciflora, E. rubida I Open-forest formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E. virninalis, E. dairympleana I (on the valley floor and slopes).
I Community 5. Closed-heath formation: Dominant Canopy Species: Leptosperrnu'n obovatum, L. I flavescens, Grevillea acanthifolia (on areas of impeded drainage on the valley floor). I
All the main canopy species were not recorded in each association due to small I scale regional variation, for example Grevillea acanthifolia was not recorded in the closed-heath/closed-sedgeland of the Leptosperinuin obovatum, L. flavescens, G. acanthifolia association. In this association the canopy species were L. obovatum, I Bauinea gunni4 Carex gaudichaudiana and Poa labillardieri.
Considerable variation in the main canopy species occurs in some of the communities. For example, communities 3 and 4 are both dominated by three I associations. These variations are described in the following sections.
I 3 Methods
3.1 Vegetation Mapping I The vegetation mapping was carried out on a 1:25 000 scale from a map prepared by D.H. Benson of the National Herbarium of N.S.W, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney with only minor modifications after air photo interpretation and ground I truth-ing. I n I I no Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 =1 H 3.2 Plant species list
Species are listed in alphabetical order by genus and species name and their I presence in one of the five plant communities indicated. This listing is derived from the annual Vegetation Report by R.A. Buchanan (1987), and is comprehensive, I being the compilation of the annual vegetation surveys from 1983.
I 4 Plant Communities and Associations P Community 1. Open-forest formation: Dominant Canopy Species: Eucalyptus sieberi, E. ptperita I This association only covers a very small area of the plateau surface on the eastern boundary in the northern part of the proposed lease area. In the adjacent northern I part of the Baal Bone lease this association occupies a larger area of the plateau surface. I E. sieberi and E. piperita dominate the association but other trees are also present. The trees form a canopy 10 - 20 in high. Much of the association has a low (0 - 0.05 m) layer of small herbs such as Geranium sp. and Hydrocotyle sp. A third stratum consists of large (3 - 5 m) shrubs such as Acacia obtusifolia, I A. falciformis and Persoonia myrtilloides spp. myrtilloides.
I Community 2. Woodland formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: E. rossii, E. oblonga The largest part of this association is found in the south eastern corner of the proposed lease area, with another part in the northern section and smaller areas on I the western side.
It is present on the sandy soils derived from the underlying sandstone of the I Narrabeen Group. Outcropping rock is uncommon but soils are often very shallow (<0.3 m). On shallow soils E. rossii is the most abundant species but in areas of deeper soils E. oblonga is the dominant species.
I When present, the leaf-litter is generally shallow and no substantial layer of humus enriched soil is present. Only approximately 70 - 80% of the soil is covered by this shallow layer while the remaining 15 - 30% is bare and eroding earth. Logs I contribute some protection to the soil. (Buchanan, 1983) I L I 'A Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I The vegetation forms three distinct strata. The lowest stratum (0 - 0.5 m) provides approximately 50% cover and is dominated by the monocotyledons Dianella revoluta and Loinandra glauca while shrubs such as Acacia ulicifolia, Platysace lanceolata and Hibbertia obtusifolia are scattered throughout.(Buchanan, 1983). Sapling eucalypts form an intermediate layer at 2 - 3 in but this stratum is generally E sparse (10% cover). The tallest stratum is formed by the two eucalypt species, E rossii and E. oblonga. The height of this canopy ranges from approximately 7 - I 20 in and the estimated cover 20 - 30%
The 1983 vegetation survey recorded that a number of species were selectively I grazed by rabbits and noted that those species which receive the heaviest grazing pressure may become increasingly rare. T
Community 3. Open-heath formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: Casuarina nana, Leptosper?num arachnoides, Lepidaspernia viscidum I Open scrub formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: E. rossii, E. piperita Three tea-trees, Leptospermuin parvifolium, L. arachnoides and L. sphaerocarpuin dominate many areas of the open-heath and open-scrub and are I common in the under-storey of the woodland. Acacia hamiltoniana Dilhivynia sp., Boronia inicrophylla, Phyllota squarrosa and Petrophilepuichella are also common in many areas of this community while Casuarina nana and Lepidosperina I viscidurn (open-heath) are most abundant in the most exposed situations and on the most shallow soils. L Community 4. Woodland formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: E. mannifera, E. dives Woodland formation: Dominant Canopy Species: E. paucifiora, E. rubida I Open-forest formation: I Dominant Canopy Species: E. viininalis, E. dairympleana
This is the most extensive community within the area covering the larger portion of I the northern half of the proposed lease. It also once covered the greater portion of I the southern half of the area now cleared. I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I The E.viminalis, E.dalryinpleana association occurs along the lower parts of the valleys and is divisible into two societies; that on the well drained lower valley I sides and that on the valley floors (Buchanan, 1983). Grazing of the under-story by pigs and rabbits is intense. It is suggested (Buchanan, 1983) that fires of sufficient intensity to seriously affect I the trees on the valley floors are probably rare as the type of ground fuel and height difference between the tree and ground strata would prevent severe canopy scorch in most circumstances. On parts of the valley sides the topography and dense shrub [1 layer would enable fires of high intensity to develop. Higher up the valley sides E.viminalis and E.dalrympleana decrease in frequency. I They are replaced by E.dives (see Quadrat 11, Vegetation Survey, 1983) on shaley soils and by E.inannifera and E.rossii (see Quadrat 12, Vegetation Survey, 1983) in other soils. E.rubida is scattered throughout and E.pauczflora was also recorded I in the original EIS. Grasses and herbs such as Siylidiuin graininifoliuin, Drosera sp. and Asteraceae form the ground cover (0 to 0.05 m). Danthoniasp. may also form a stratum at I 0.10 to 0.50 m. In many places the shrub Acacia buxifolia dominates the second stratum (up to 0.75 m tall). Many other under-story species, e.g., Hibbertia obtusifolia, and Dianella revoluta, are common to this environment and to the communities on the plateau surface. As well as the dominant tree species noted I above, E. rossii is also often found in the tree canopy. I Community 5. Closed-heath /Closed-sedge formation: Dominant Canopy Species: Leptospermum obovatum, L. I fiavescens, Grevillea acanthifolia
This association is found in areas of impeded drainage along the valley floors 1.5 degrees longitudinal slope). It shows considerable variation but is best described as closed-heath/ closed-sedgeland dominated by Leptospermum (1.0obovatum, to Baumea spp., Carex gaudichaudiana, and Poa labillardieri. Between the constant tussock forming species (Poa labillardieri, Carex I gaudichaudiana, Bau?nea spp., Lepyrodia anarthria and Restio australis) and the shrubs (e.g., Leptospermum obovatum) transient species such as Geranium potentilloides, Eleocharispusilla, Gonocarpus micranthus, Hypericum gramifleUlfl, I Haloragis heterophylla and Epilobium billardierianwn are found.
I The main factors controlling species distribution are slope (hence waterlogging), grazing pressure from pigs, rabbits and native animals and, in the drier areas, possibly also frost intensity (Buchanan, 1983). I Some areas of this sedgeland are severely affected by pigs and other animals. I The soil is deep peat, in places an organically rich layer overlying a clayey subsoil. I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
I In a number of places a free water surface is present in hollows. There is no distinct creek bed. Despite the almost level cross section in a number of places the closed -sedgeland shows distinct zonation with Carex gaudichaudiana most I abundant on the drier side, a grass species dominant in the centre and a zone dominated by Baumea gunnii, and Juncus continuus on the wetter side. The boundary between the surrounding trees and the sedgeland is often very sharp due I to the abrupt change in slope from 0 to 4 or 5 degrees. In many places along Baal bone Creek Lepyrodia anarthria overtopped by Leptospermum obovatuin dominates the community. At the junction of the closed- I heathland and tree-ed area a mixed under-story of Geranium sp. Poa labillardieri and B. gunnii has is often present.
Two introduced species, Rubus vulgaris and Rosa rubiginosa are scattered I throughout this community.
I 5 Possible Impacts of Mining on the Vegetation Communities
I The effect of the two potentially larger impacts of mining, subsidence and cliff collapse, on the natural vegetation will vary with the associations. I Subsidence and consequent alteration to drainage patterns may affect the distribution of the E. viminalis, E. dairympleana Open-forest association and the Leptospermum obovatuin, L. flavescens, Grevillea acanthifolia Closed-heath! Closed sedgeland association. Other associations will be little affected by subsidence. It was suggested in the vegetation survey of 1983 that if cliff collapse is very I severe the distribution of the Casuarina nana, Leptospermum arachnoides, Lepidosperma viscidum association as well as the E. sp. aff apiculata association may be reduced. These associations are located on the shallow soils of the higher I ridges and along the tops of the cliffs and rocky outcrops. I 6 Biological Importance of the Plant Communities I On a broad scale (State) the communities present in the proposed lease are considered moderately to reasonably conserved by Specht, Roe and Broughton I (1974). Eucalyptus apiculata is listed as 2V (maximum geographic range 100 km, i vulnerable species not presently endangered) in Leigh, Briggs and Hartley (1981). No rare or endangered species other than E. sp. aff apiculata was recorded during the survey. i I [I 10 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I
The potential impact of mining on the different communities will vary. The most I significant potential impacts are subsidence and alteration of the drainage pattern and cliff collapse.
I The plateau surface communities (Nos. 1, 2 and 3) are fairly well represented in the region. It is unlikely that mining will have any substantial impact on the vegetation of these areas as their distribution is dependent on the degree of exposure, soil depth and fertility rather than soil moisture. Fire frequency and intensity, grazing I pressures and subsequent erosion will have a greater impact than possible effects of mining.
I The closed-heath/ closed-sedgeland in the two areas of impeded drainage along the valley floors through which Baal Bone Creek and Jews Creek flow would be the first to reflect changes in the water regime as the species are highly sensitive to I slight changes in waterlogging. This community is not widely represented in the region and its protection should be high priority. The community along Baal Bone Creek (near Baal Bone Gap Road and Homestead Road) is of the highest value as it is the most diverse and the least affected by man or introduced animals such as I pigs.
Changes in drainage may also affect the distribution of E. viminalis and E. dairympleana along the valley floor. A small increase in moisture would kill I large numbers of trees in some areas while a decrease would enable the trees to colonize marginal habitats now dominated by Poa labillardieri and other monocotyledons. This community is not well reserved in the region, as noted in the I EIS (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981a), as much of it has been cleared for grazing and any decrease in its abundance should be treated seriously.
Li I I I I Li I Li I 11 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Table 1/Al I Species List I Genus species Community I 1 23 4 56 Icacia asparagoides x x I lcacia buxifolia x X lcacia dealbata X X I 4cacia falciformis x X X 4cacia gunnii x x I 4cacia hainiltoniana x 4cacia inelanoxylon X I 4cacia obtusifolia x x x X 4cacia terminalis x x x X 4cacia ulicifolia x x I 4caena anserinifolia X X 4cianthus Acianthus sp. x I 4gropyron scabruin X 4grostis avenacea var.avenacea X I 4juga australis X 4mperea xip/wclada x I 4mphibromus fluitans X X 4nagallis arvensis X X 4rrhenechthites mixta? x X I Arthropodiuin inillifloruin x x Asperula gunnii X X I lsperula scoparia X X lsplenium flabellifoliurn X
I contmueW I I I I 12 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I 4steraceae Asteraceae sp. x x X X I Baeckea dens ifolia x Baeckea linifolia x Baeckea Baeckea spp.? x I Banksia collina x x Bauinea gunnii x X I Bauinea nthiginosa x x Billardiera scandens x x X X I Blechnum cartilaginewn x x Blechnum nudum x x I Blechnum Blechnuin.sp. X Boronia microphylla x x x X Boronia rigens x I Bossiaea heterophylla x Bra chycoine aculeata x x I Bra chycoine procumbens x Brachyloma daphnoides x x I Briza minor X X Bulbine bulbosa X I Callisteinon citrinus x Callistemon linearis x Calochilus robertyonii x I Calytrix tetragona x Carex gaudichaudiana x x I Carex inversa x x Cassytha Cassytha sp. x I Cas'uarina dirtyla x - continued! I I I I I 13 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 5 6 I 1 2 3 4 Cesuarina littoralis x 1 Cczsuarina nana x Caustis flexuosa x x I Centella as'iatica x x Centaurium eythraea x x x Cheilanthes sieberi x I Chionchloa pallida x x Cirsiurn vulgare x I Clematis aristata x x x Comesper,na volubile x x I Conyza Conyza sp. x x x x Correa reflexa X I Craspedia Craspedia sp. "C" X Crassula sieberiana x Ciyptand.ra ainara x I Culcita dubia x x Cyathea australis x I Cynoglossum suaveolens x Cyperus sphaeroideus X I Dampiera stricta x x x Danthonia racemosa X I Danthonia tenuior x x Danthonia Danthonia sp. x x x x Daviesia virgata x 1 Dawsonia Dawsonia sp. X Deyeuxia quadriseta X X I Dianella caerulea -- X - X continuedJ I I I I I 14 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 5 I revoluta x x x x x I micrantha x x rara x x x L'lcflopogon Dichopogon sp. x x I Dicond.ra repens x x Diliwynia retorta var phylicoides x x x I Diliwynia rudis x punctatum x I aurea x x binata I peltata caespitosus ova tus KI I plantagineum Einadia hastata? I Eloecharis pusila Entolasia stricta x x x I Epaciis paludosa x Epilobium billardierianuin x I Epilobium hirtigeruin cucullatus daliympleana I dives x fastigata M I macro rhyncha I mannfera continued! I I I I I 15 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I Eucalyptus pperita x x I Eucalyptus polyanthemos X Eucalyptus rossii x x x Eucalyptus rithida x I Eucalyptus sieberi x Eucalyptus sp. affapiculata x I Eucalyptus vi,ninalis X X &ocarpos cupressiformis x 1 Gahnia sieberiana x x x Galium binifoliuin x x I Galium propinquum x Galium Galium sp. x Geitonoplesium cymosum x I Geranium potentilloides x x X Glycine tabacina x x x I Gnaphalium coarctatum x x x Gonocarpus Gonocarpus sp.? X X I Gonocarpus inicranthus x x Gonocarpus tetragynus x x x x x I Goodenia bellidifolia x x Goodenia hederacea X Hakea daclyloides x x x X I Hakea microcarpa X Haloragis heterophylla X X I Hardenbeigia violacea x x Helichrysuin apiculatum x x x I Helichrysum bra cteatum - continued! I I I I I 16 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I Helichrysurn diosinifoliurn x x I Helichrysurn scorpiokks x x x x Helipterum albicans ssp. albicans x Hibbertia obtusifolia x x x I Hibbertia serpyllifolia x x Holcuc Ianatus X X I Hovea linearis x x x Hydrocotyle algida x I Hydrocotyle Hydrocotyle sp. x X Hydrocotyle laxiflora x x I Hydrocotyle tripartita X Hypericurn grainineuin x X Hypericum Hypericurn sp. x X I Hypericuin peiforatum X Hypochoeris radkata x x x x x I Hypoxis hygroinetrica x Indigofera australis x X I Isolepis hookeriana X Isolepis inundata x X I Isolepis prolifer X Isopogon dawsonii x Isotoina fiuviatilis X I Juncus continuus X X Juncus homalocaulis X I Juncus planifolius X Juncus subsecundatus X I Kunzea parvifolia -- x contmuecl/ I I I I I 17 EnvhDnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I Lagnfera stipitata x x x I Laxmannia gracilis X Lepidosperina laterale x x Lepidosperina urophorurn X I Lepidosperina visciduin X Leptoinena acida X I Leptospermurn arachno ides X Leptospermum attenuatwn x x I Leptospermum flavescens x X X X Leptosperinum grandifolium x I Leptospermum obovaturn X X Leptospermuin parvifoliuin X Leptospermwn scoparium X X I Leptospermuin sphaerocarpuin x X Lepyrodia anarthria X I Leucopogon attenuatus X Leucopogon lanceolatus x I Leucopogon microphyllus X Leucopogon inuticus x x I Leucopogon virgatus x Lilaeopsis Lilaeopsis sp. X Lomandra glauca x x x X I Lomandra longifolia x x X X Lomatia myricoides X I Lomatia silaifolia x Lotus corniculatus X I Luzula fiaccida -- ...... contmuecl/ I I I I I W. Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 23 4 56 I Luzula modesta X I Macrozamia secunda X Melichrus urceolatus x X Mentha die,nenica X I Microlaena stipoides X X Micromyrtus ciliata X I Microtis parviflora X X Mitrasacme polymorpha x I Monotoca scoparia x x x x Muellerina celastroides X I Muellerina eucalyptoides X Myriophyllum Myriophylluin sp. x Olearia ramulosa x I Omphacomeria acerba x Opercularia aspera X I Oxalis corniculata x x x Oxylobium ilicfoliuin x x x X I Parahebe perfoliata X Patersonia sericea x x X I Persoonia laurina x Persoonia linearis x x x Persoonia myrtilloides I var.myrtilloides x Petrophile puichella X 1 Phyllota squarrosa x x Pimelia linifolia x x I Plantago gaudichandiana - x - continued! I 1 I I I Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I Plantago lanceolata X I Platysace lanceolata x x x x x Platysace lineanfolia x Poa labillardieri x x I Poa Poaceaespp. x x x x x Poa pratensis x I Poa sieberana x x Polyscias sambucifolia x I Pomaderris androinedifolia x x Pomax umbellata x x X I Poranthera inicrophylla x x X Prunella vulgaris X Pteridium esculentuin x x x X X X I Pterostylis Pterostylis sp. x x Pultenaea dentata X I Pultenaea microphylla x Pyrrosia rupestris X I Ranunculus lappaceus X Restio austraiLs X I Rosa rubiginosa X X Rubus parvifolius X Rubus vulgaris X X I Scaevola hookeri X Schoenus apogon x X I Schoenus ericetorium x Senecio glomeratus x x I Senecio minus - x contmuecl/ I I I I I 20 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
1 Genus species Community 1 23 4 56 I Senecio quadridentata x I Senecio Senecio sp. X Solanum parvifolium x I Sonchus oleraceus x Sphagnum Sphagnum sp. x Stackhousia viminea x I Stellathi augustifolia X Stellana pungens x x I Stipa rudis x x x Stylidium graminifolium x x x I Stylidium lineare x Stypandra glauca x I Styphelia tubiflora x Taraxacum officinale X Thelymitra ixiodes x I Thelymitra paucftora X Thelyinitra Thelyinitra sp. x I Them eda australis X Thysanotus tube rosus X I Todea barbara x Trifolium dubium x x Trifolium repens x I Utricularia dichotoma X Verbascum Verbascum sp. X I Veronia gracilis X X Veronia plebeia X X I Viola betonicifolia -- x x continued! I I I I I 21 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Genus species Community 1 2 3 4 56 I Viola hetieracea x x I Vulpia brornoides X Wahienbergia communis x X Wahienbergia gracilis x X 1 Xanthorrhoea Xanthorrhoea sp x Xanthosia pilosa x I Ziena aspalathoides -- x I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Appendix 2 I I Report of Fauna! Surveys I I I I I I I I I 1 U I I I OA Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Appendix 2 I 1 Report of Faunal Surveys 7 Contents 1 Review of Faunal Surveys k 2 Summary: Implications for Wildlife I 1 Review of Faunal Surveys
This report is based on two main sets of data. The faunal survey carried out in the I area by Dr. M.J.S. Denny and reported in the STREIS (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981b) and a comprehensive survey carried out by a team from The Australian Museum, Sydney, which covered an extensive area of the Newnes I Plateau to the Colo River with more intense field work carried out within the Angus Place Colliery lease (Kingston, T.J. et al,1979). The importance of this later data should not be minimised simply because it was not collected in the immediate lease area. The value of this survey lies in the fact that it provides comprehensive base- I line data of fauna within the same vegetation community classification system that has been used to map the vegetation and hence habitat types of the original lease I area (authorisation licence 161) and the proposed area (Coal Lease Application Kingston et a! (1979) found that the structure of the vegetation and the type of under-storey were more important to the vertebrate fauna than were the floristics. Li Because of this, structural terms for the vegetation from the classification of Specht et a! (1974) were employed. Although some of the dominant tree species and a small component of the assembled species differ between the Newnes Plateau and i I the Baal Bone area all of the structural formations (habitats) used in the Newnes Plateau survey can be identified on the Vegetation Map of the lease area. I It has been noted that a large part of the original fauna! survey (Nexus Environmental Studies, 1981a), was carried out in habitats within and adjacent to the highly impacted and changed environment of the old open-cut, and is thus not fully representative of some habitats found on the proposed lease extension, I particularly those found on the relatively undisturbed plateau surface and ridges of the northern part of the area. (All these habitat types were, however, intensively surveyed by Kingston et al, (1979 and 1982). This far more extensive survey by I the Australian Museum on Newnes Plateau and Colo River revealed 242 species of animal;39 mammals, 121 birds, 50 reptiles and 32 amphibians). However, the onset of the cooler months precluded such a large list of species in the Baal Bone I EIS fauna! survey. A similar survey at Fernbrook, Marrangaroo, like most time limited EIS surveys gave a similar number of terrestrial species as that found H during the Baal Bone survey. I I 'I Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
I Notwithstanding this, more water birds were identified in the Baal Bone survey than in the previous surveys of the Newnes Plateau and Colo River. Of the 72 species of avi-fauna identified at Baal Bone, a relatively high number were water I birds. This is due to the large area of water bird habitat within the water filled open- cut areas. These ponds lie at the south west corner but outside the proposed lease. The low numbers of reptiles and amphibians were attributed to the winter survey I period. As noted above much of the original EIS faunal survey area was cleared of natural vegetation (initially woodland and open forest) and the terrain either greatly I modified by the open-cut operations or otherwise impacted by agricultural activities and the introduction of exotic and non endemic plant species and the invasion of other "weed" species particularly (blackberry). However, one of the habitat types I surveyed by Dr Denny was the hill slope vegetation in the vicinity of the high wall and adits. These slopes are covered with the E mannifera - E dives, E rubida, and E rossii - E oblonga associations and are generally in the same condition (very slightly impacted) as other areas of this type of habitat located in the proposed lease I extension. The animal species found by Dr. Denny in this type of habitat would be present in the same habitat.
I Visual identification of bird species by Dr. Denny also extended north of the pit top area towards Baal Bone Gap, and within the Eucalyptus rossii, E.oblonga woodland as well as the E. rnannfera, E. dives, and E. pauciflora, E. rubida I woodland associations. As noted in the Vegetation Survey report (Appendix 1) this type of woodland habitat covers much of the proposed lease area.
During the EIS fauna! survey, 88 animal species were recorded (not including I aquatic species). This included 14 species of mammal all of which are common in at lease one of the habitat types of the area. Several introduced mammal species and other mammals associated with human occupation were identified (see I Table.1/A2), 66 species of bird (see Table 2/A2, 5 species of reptile and 3 amphibians (see Table 3/A2), and a number of aquatic fauna (see Table 41A2).
I It was noted by Denny that large mammals, e.g., kangaroos, wallabies and wombats are relatively mobile and able to move away from a source of disturbance. It was observed that large mammals were in low density at the Baal Bone pit top I site. The same is true for the adjacent cleared area of the proposed lease extension. It was deduced that persistent shooting of these animals has produced a low population of wary animals. Interviews with the land-owner and observations of I and evidence of night-time shooters supports this conclusion. Consequently most kangaroos, wallabies and wombats keep to the more remote forested areas.
The fauna of the proposed lease area does not contain species that are seriously I threatened by the proposed activity. Two birds, the Tawny Grassbird, Megalurus timoriensis, and the Beautiful Firetail, Embleina bella, are uncommon in New South Wales and restricted in their distribution. (Kingston and Allen, 1982). They I are not, however, considered to be at risk within the lease due to the proposed mining activities. I An important and sensitive habitat identified by the fauna survey was the swampy I area (Closed-sedgeland! Closed-heathland plant community) on Ben Bullen
Lii I 4 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
Creek south-east of the pit top area. This area has been damaged by feral animals, I particularly pigs, and is infested with blackberry and other weedy species. Dr. Denny also sampled aquatic fauna from this swamp. This habitat is found in the proposed lease extension along an extensive stretch of Baal Bone Creek as well as on Jews Creek. These areas would support much the same animal communities as the sedgeland and heathiand on Ben Bullen Creek. Subsidence beneath the swamp on Baal Bone Creek may reduce the extent of this I habitat type by a loss of surface water to the ground water system. However, as noted in the Vegetation Survey report (Appendix 1) there are a number of other patches of this habitat within the two lease areas which will not be disturbed (i.e., I on Jews Creek and on Ben Bullen Creek). Alternatively, the alteration of surface drainage patterns could raise the water table I and the depth of water in parts of the swamp on Baal Bone Creek, drowning a portion of the heath and sedge vegetation. The decrease in the vegetation cover may lead to a local reduction in the numbers of swamp-associated mammals and a small reduction in the numbers of swamp inhabiting birds possibly including the Tawny Ll Grassbird and the Beautiful Firetail. It is re-emphasised that a large portion of this habitat type is located on Jews Creek I and therefore will not be affected by the proposed mining activity. A second habitat type that has been previously recognised to be of particular I significance is the sandstone outcrops. Surface subsidence and rock falls could have an impact on faunal habitat in the following ways. The Origma, Origma solitaria, nests under rock ledges and so I some nests could be disturbed. Kingston and Allen (1982) did not consider this to represent a serious threat to this species. LI As there will be negligible disturbance to the other habitats of the proposed lease extension small mammals within these will be little affected. The faunal survey I found that all small mammals caught were relatively common in the region. I The "exotic habitat" produced by large clumps of blackberry bush affords excellent protection for feral animals, and is particularly used by cats and rabbits. Blackberry I is largely confined to the area along Baal Bone Gap Road. This area and indeed the greater part of the proposed lease is within the Ben Bullen State Forest, as is the main lease area. The Forestry Commission is responsible for the control of noxious weeds as well as bush fire control (by hazard reduction or controlled burning) I within this area. They regularly carry out this activity which has the effect of reducing the exotic habitat but which does not however permanently displace a r significant number of native small mammals. Rabbit numbers fluctuate widely with seasonal conditions, however, sport I shooting reduces what otherwise might be a a larger population. I In respect to the aquatic fauna of Jews Creek downstream of the proposed lease the I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
fauna! survey (Denny, 1981) found that there was a significant impact from the I overburden heaps of the old open-cut mine on Ben Bullen Creek. This tributary joins Jews Creek just outside the western boundary of the proposed lease extension. Some of the ponds associated with the disturbed area showed a low I number and diversity of species. This is attributable to the poor water quality of those ponds as a consequence of the leachates from the permeable overburden. As a consequence there was a great difference between the number and diversity of the I species of aquatic fauna found upstream and downstream of the overburden heaps in Ben Bullen Creek. Moreover the species diversity and population numbers of the aquatic fauna found in Jews Creek below the junction with Ben Bullen Creek was low despite the dilution of the polluted water with the better quality water from the I upstream catchment of Jews Creek. The distance downstream to which the fall off in aquatic productivity extends is not known.
2 Summary: Implications for Wildlife
The habitat most likely to be affected by the activity associated with underground mining is that of the swampy sedgeland (Closed-sedge! Closed-heath of Vegetation I Map, Fig.1/A1). This habitat is a valuable natural resource in that it is used by many animals for shelter and food. Mining associated activities, on the surface, such as subsidence monitoring grids will not be placed within this habitat type. I Other then the inundation and!or draining of parts of this habitat type by subsidence, the presence of feral animals, particularly pigs and cats, may be a threat. Indeed these may pose a more extensive threat. However, only a limited amount of damage by feral animals, to this habitat type on the CLA 192 area, has I been done to date. I I I I I I I I ri I 31 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliexy I December 1989
I Table 1/A2 Species List I (after Table 1, Denny, 1981)) I Mammals Observed at Baal Bone Site I I Dasyuridae Brown Antechinus Antechinus stuartil I Petauridae [Species unknown, heard but not seen] Macropodidea Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus I Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus Vombatidae I Common Wombat Voinbatus ursinus Chiroptera I [Species unknown, heard but not collected] I Rodentia
I Bush Rat Rattusfuscipes Ship Rat (Black Rat) Rattus rattus House Mouse Mus musculus I Water Rat Hydromys chrysogaster
I Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus I Carnivora Canidae Feral Dog Canisfarniliaris I Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Felidae Feral Cat Felis lybica lybicaf catus I I Artiodactvla Cattle Bos indicus I Pig Sus scrofa I SOURCE: Denny (1981) I I I 7 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Table 2/A2 I I I Birds observed at Baa! Bone Site I Classification: S = Sedentary, N = Nomadic, M = Migratory. I
I Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae S/N Australian Magpie-lark Gymnorhina tibicen S I Australian Raven Corvus coronoides N Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius melanops S/N I Brown Gerygone Gery gone mouki M Brown Quail Coturnix australis S/N I Brown Thornbill Acanthizapusilla S Buff-tailed Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides S Common Bronzewing Phaps elegans S/N 1 Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus S/N Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans S/N I Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa S/N Eastern Rosella Platycercus exiinius S/N I Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris S/N/M Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus S I Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis S/N Eurasian Coot Filica aim S/N Freckled Duck Strictonetta naevosa S/N I Galah Cacatua rosiecapilla S/N Gang Gang Cockatoo Ca1locephalonfinbriatum N I Gold Findh Carduelis carduelis S Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor S I Grey Fantail Rhipidurafuliginosa S/N/M Grey Shrike-thrush Collurincincla harmonica S I Grey Teal Anas gibberifrons S/N Hoary Headed Grebe Podicepspoliocephalus S/N I continued! I
I I
Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery Li December 1989 I Table 2/A2 I I I Birds observed at Baa! Bone Site I I Classification: S = Sedentary, N = Nomadic, M = Migratory. I
I King Parrot Alisterus scapularis N Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo noraequineae S I Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris S/N Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphoides S I Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrorax melanoleucos S/N Little Thornbill Acanthiza nana S I Masked Plover Vanellus miles M New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae S/N Noisy Friar-bird Philemon corniculatus M/N I Pacific Black Duck Anas supercitiosa S/N Pied Currawong Strepera graculina S I Red wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata S/N Red-browed Firetail Emblema temporalis S/N I Red-browed Tree-creeper Climacteris erythrops S Richard's pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae S/N I Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor S/N Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus S Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum S 1 Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striated S Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata S I Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus S Superb lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae S I Turquoise Parrot Neophema pluchella S/N Varied Sitella Daphoenositta chrysoptera S/N 1 Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti S Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax N Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena M I White-browed Scrub-wren Sericornis frontalis S I continued!
I n Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery LI December 1989 I Tab!e 2/A2 I [T I Birds observed at Baa! Bone Site I White -cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra S/N/M White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostoinus leucotis S/N/M White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae S/N Li White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus S/N/M White-necked Heron Ardeapacifica S/N White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea M I White-throated Tree-Creeper Climacteris leucophaea S White-winged Chough Cororax melanorhamphus S/N I Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophiys S/N Wood Duck Chenonettajubata N I Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostornus chrysops S/N/M Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo I Calyptorhynchusfunereus N I SOURCE: Denny (1981) I I I
I I I I I 1K Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Table 3/A2 I
I I Amnhibians and Reptiles Observed at Baal Bone Site ]
I Amphibians
I Leptodactylidae Common Eastern Froglet Ranidella signifera I Yellow-spotted Toadlet Uperoleia marmorata Hylidae I Lesueur's Frog Litoria lesueurii I Reptiles
Squamata I Scincidae Copper-tailed Skink Ctenotus taeniolatus I LainpropholLs delicata Lampropholis quichenoti I Elapidae Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechisprophyriacus I Eastern Brown Snake Pseudonaja testilis I SOURCE: Denny (1981) I I I I I I 11 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I Table 4/A2 I
I I Preliminary List of Aauatic Fauna sampled at Baa! Bone I I (a) Ben Bullen Creek, upstream of Overburden Dumps I Invertebrates Class: Insecta I Order: Coleoptera Family: Gyrinidae Whirlygig Beetles I Order: Trichoptera Caddis Fly Pupae Order: Hemiptera Suborder: Heteroptera I Family Notonectidae Water Boatman Order: Odonata Dragon-fly Nymphs I Suborder: Anisoptera Suborder: Zygoptera I Family: Chlorocyphidae Family: Calopterygidae I Order: Plecoptera Stone-fly Nymphs Order: Diptera Two-winged Fly Larvae Order: Lepidoptera Moth Pupae I continuedj I I I I I I I 12 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I I Preliminary List of Aquatic Fauna caught at Baa! Bone I
I (b) Ben Bullen Creek, downstream of Overburden dumps
I Invertebrates
I Class: Insecta Order: Hemiptera I Suborder: Heteroptera Family: Notonectidae Water Boatman I Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalva Genus: Hyrkiella Fresh-water Mussel I Class: Crustacea Order: Decapoda I Family: Parastacidae Yabbies
I Vertebrates 1 Fish, unknown species. I continued/ I I I I I 1 I I 13 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I I Preliminary List of Acivatic Fauna caught at Baal Bone] I (c) Pond, formed by Open Cut mining
I Invertebrates
I Class: Insecta Order: Ephemeraptera I Family: Siphlonuridae May Fly Nymphs Order: Hemiptera I Suborder: Heteroptera Family: Corixidae Lesser Water Boatmen Class: Crustacea I Order: Decapoda Family: Parastacidae Yabbies I Family: Palaemonidae Fresh-water Shrimps I continued! I I I I I I I I I 14 Envimninental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery December 1989
I Preliminary List of Aquatic Fauna caught at Baal Bone I
(d) Ponds (3)
Invertebrates
Class: Insecta Order: Plecoptera Family: Capniidae Stone-fly Nymphs Order: Odonata Suborder: Anisoptera Family: Zygoptera Dragon-fly Nymphs Order: Ephemeraptera Family: Siphlonuridae May Fly Nymphs Order: Coleoptera Larval Beetles Order: Coleoptera Family: Gyrinidae Whirlygig Beetles Order: Lepidoptera Moth Pupae Order: Hemiptera Suborder: Heteroptera Family: Notonectidae Water Boatman Suborder: Heteroptera Family: Corixidae Lesser Water Boatmen Order: Diptera Family: Culicidae Subfamily: Culicinae Mosquito Wrigglers Class: Crustacea Order: Decapoda Family: Palaemonidae Fresh-water Shrimps Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Water Snail
SOURCE: Denny (1981) I 15 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Table 5/A2
I Native Fauna Associated with Lease Habitat Types (Vegetation Formations) I (after Kingston et al, 1979, and Kingston and Allen, 1982)
I TOF: Tall Open Forest OF/LOF: Open Forest! Low Open Forest I WDL: Woodland HJM HeathJ Mallee I SH: Swampy Heath (Closed-Heath! Closed-Sedge) S = Status U = uncommon, + = present I C = common, * preferred habitat
I Mammals I S TOF OF WDLH/MSIH Marsupials
I * Brown Antechinus Antechinus stuartii C * * * + * I Swainson's Antechinus Antechinus swainsonii U + Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula U * + Common Ringtail Pseudocheirusperegrinus U * + I Greater Glider Schoinobates volans U * * Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps U + + * * I Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus C + Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus C + * + I Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor U + + + Common Wombat Voinbatus ursinus C * * + + + I Rodents
I Bush Rat Rattusfuscipes C * + + + + Eastern swamp Rat Rattus lutreolus U - - - - I continued! I I 16 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I and Am I TniR or wfll T4/M S/i-I Gekkonidae I Lesueur's Velvet Gecko Oedura lesueurii C + + +
I Pvgopodidae Common Scaly-foot Pygopus lepidopodus U + + I Agamidae I Moutain Dragon Amphibolurus diemensis C * * + + + Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii U * +
I Varanidae Scincidae + * + I Copper-trailed Skink Ctenotus taeniolatus C Cunningham's Skink Egernia cunninghami U + I Black Rock Skink Egernia saxatilis U + White's Skink Egernia whitii U + + Lainpropholisdelicata U * + I L. entrecasteauxii U + + + L. guichenoti C * * * + + I Weasel Skink L. mustelina C * + + + Red-throated Skink Leiolopismaplatynota U + * + I L.trilineata U + + + + Alpine Water Skink Sphenomorphus kosciuskoi U + + I + * Eastern Water Skink S. quoyii C * I S. tympanurn U + + Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard Till-qua nigrolutea U Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard T scincoides U I - + I - - - I continued! I I I I 17 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery 1 December 1989 I and Amphibians I S TOF OF WDL H/M S/H
I Elapidae Copperhead snake Austrelaps superbus U + I Eastern Small-eyed Snake Cryptophis nigrescens U + Masters Snake Drysdalia mastersi U + Eastern Tiger Snake Notechis scutatus U + * + + I Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechisprophyriacus U I Eastern brown Snake Pseudonaja textilis U + I Anura Leptodactvlidae I Eastern Banjo Frog Limnodynastes durerillii U + + Mixophyes balbus U + + + Brown Toadlet Pseudophryne bibronii U + + * * * * I Common Eastern Froglet Ranidella sign ifera C +
I Hylidae * + I Blue Mountains Tree Frog Litoria citropa C continued! I I I I I 1 I I IV Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery [1 December 1989 I
I S TOF OF WDLH/M S/H Australian Kestrel Falco cenchro ides U + + Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis U + + + I Australian Magpie-lark Gymnorhina tibicen C + Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus U + + + I Australian Raven Corvus coronoides C + + + + + Beautiful Firetail Einblerna bella U + + * Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae C + * + I Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis U + * * Brown Goshawk Accipiterfasciatus U Brown Thornbill Acanthizapusilla C + + + + + I * Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris C + + + * Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides C + + + I Chestnut-rumped Hylacola Sericornispyrrhopygius C + + * Cicada bird Coracina tenuirostris U + * I Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus U + Crescent Honeyeater Phylidenyrispyrrhoptera U + Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculusfrontatus C + + I Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans C + + + + Dusky Wood swallow Artarmus cyanopterus U + I Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius U + Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus 1enuirostris C + + + + + I Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus C * + Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis C + + + I Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cuculuspyrrhophanus C + + + Flame Robin Petroicaphoenicea C + + + + Gang Gang Cockatoo Callocephalonfi;nbriatum U + + + I Golden Whistler Pachycephalapectoralis C * + + Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus U + + I Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor C + + + Grey Fantail Rhipidurafuliginosa C + + + + Grey Shrike-thrush Collurincincla harmonica C + + + I Large-billed Scrub-wren Sericornis magnirostris U + - - - - continued! I I
I I 19 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 Li
I S TOF OF WDLH/M S/H Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo noraequineae Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra nibecula I Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii Mistletoe-bird Dicaeum hirundinaceuin I New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae C + + * * Noisy Friar-bird Philemon corniculatus U ++ I Noisy Miner Manoiina melanocephala U + + I Origma Origma solitaria I Peregrine Falcon Falcoperegrinus U + + + Pied Currawong Strepera graculina C + + + Pilot bird Pycnoptilusfloccosus C+ * 1 Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata Red-browed Firetail Emblema temporalis U + + + + + I Red-browed Tree-creeper ClimacterLg erythrops c+ + Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons U+ * * Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufwentris C + + * * E Sacred Kingfisher Halcyon sancta U + Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violacei U * + + Li Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca U*+ Scarlet Robin Petroica nmlticolor C ++ Shining Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucithis C + + +. 1 Silver-eye Zosterops lateralis U + + + Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae C + + + 1 Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus U + Spotted Pardalote Pa rdalotus punctatus C + + + Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctalum C ++ I Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striated C + + + Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata C + + + + I Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus U + + -f Superb lyrebird Menura novaeholland.iae C * + I C + + + continued/ I I U I 20 Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989
I c TOF OF WDT. HIM S/H Tawny Grassbird Megalurus tiinoriensis U + I Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Phylidonyris inelanops U + Tree Martin Cecropis nigricans C + + + + + Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera C + + + + I Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lainberti C * + + Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax U + + + * Li White-browed Scrub-wren Sericornisfrontalis C + + + + White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis C + * + * I White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus C + + White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea U + + * * 1 White-throated Nightjar Caprimulgus inystacalis U White-throated Tree Creeper Climacteris leucophaea C + + + White-winged Chough Cororax melanorhainphus U + I White-winged Triller Lalage sueurii ? Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys C + I Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca U + Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops C + + + + I Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchusfunereus U + + + I + I- I SOURCE: Kingston et al (1979), and, Kingston and Allen (1982) Li I I I I I I I I I I I Appendix 3 I I Existing Water Quality I 11 I I I I I I I I I I I I
Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Appendix 3 I I Existing Water Quality I I Contents Quality of Receiving Waters (Jews Creek at BB J sampling Point) I 2 Chemical Analyses 2.1 Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH) I 2.2 Specific Conductance (SC) 2.3 Filtrable Residue (FR) 2.4 Sulphate (SO4) I 2.5 Total Iron, Filtrable Iron, and Non-Filtrable Residue 2.6 Zinc (Zn) I 2.7 Grease and Oil (G&O)
I Figures 2.1 pH I 2.2 Specific Conductance (SC) 2.3 Filtrable Residue (FR) 2.4 Sulphate (SO4) I 2.5.1 Total Iron (TFe) 2.5.2 Filtrable Iron (FFe) 1 2.5.3 Non-Filtrable Residue (NFR) 2.6 Zinc (Zn) I 2.7 Grease and Oil (G&O)
I Tables
Table 1: Water Quality Criteria and Standards I Table 2: Water analyses for Jews Creek Monitoring Point [BB J]' 1983-1988 I I I 3 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989
I 1 Quality of receiving waters (Jews Creek at BB J sampling pt.) P
The water in Jews Creek at the western boundary of the proposed lease has been monitored regularly since 1983. The creek at this point is affected by leachates I from the unstable and highly permeable overburden soils from old open-cut mining nearby as well as erosion products (Non filtrable Residue with associated Iron) from both the disturbed surface of this overburden dump and the cleared T agricultural area on the proposed lease. Notwithstanding this, the characteristics of the water at this point indicates that it closely resembles the water flowing across the Permian Coal Measure sediments of I the Wolgan Valley as determined by the baseline water quality investigations carried out by Toyer and Main (1981). Streams in the Wolgan Valley exhibit higher levels of dissolved salts than those on the Plateaux although these are still low F relative to the water quality criteria. The surface waters of Triassic Sandstone plateaux of the region are typically of a very high "natural" quality with a low buffering capacity.
Water quality standards and criteria for various uses are listed in table 1/A3 (after Toyer and Main, 1981). The criteria listed for aquatic life are dependent on a great number of factors, including fauna species, age and stage, as well as on the composition and temperature of the water. I Jews Creek and indeed the whole Turon River Catchment is not classified under the Regulations of the Clean Waters Act, 1970. Nevertheless the water in the creek I at this point is rarely outside the desired range of the various water quality standards and criteria.
"-I I .2 Chemical Analyses I 2.1 Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH)
Notwithstanding the fact that the water in Jews Creek is influenced for a very short I distance upstream of BBJ by leachates diverted via the open-cut from the Ben Bullen Creek catchment., the pH values (mean pH 6.6, range 5.5 to 7.5) are I nevertheless comparable with those of the Wolgan River Valley sites of Toyer and Main (1981), (mean pH 6.5, range 5.0 to 7.1). The effect of alkaline leachate from the overburden is to raise the pH (to between 6.5 to 8.0 in the case of Ben Bullen Creek immediately before the confluence with Jews Creek). Whilst the volume of I water in Jews Creek is less than that in Ben Bullen Creek, immediately upstream of the confluence of the two, the lower pH (lower concentration of dissolved salts) I has some dilution effect on the polluted outflow from Ben Bullen Creek. I 4 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989
Fig. 2.1 I pH
I 8. I 7.. 7 • •. 1 I.. I pH6. • • •(Ic. •• LI 6. • 5.
El 5. I 2-Dec. 7-Oct. 3-Aug. 30-May 26-Mar. 20-Jan 15-Nov I 1 5.Feb I 2.2 Specific Conductance I (SC, equivalent to Electrical Conductivity)
I SC is a measure of the salinity or dissolved salts in the water. The level of salinity is low (mean SC 110, range 5 0-404 (p.S/cm) relative to the criteria. The upper part of the range is, however, high relative to natural water flowing from the Triassic I sandstone terrain within the existing and proposed lease areas. This is typically consistently low in dissolves salts, i.e., less than 50 S/cm. The data (Figure 2.2 and Table 2) would seem to indicate that the creek at the western boundary of the I proposed lease has a relatively low (SC from 50 to 60 p.S/cm) level of salinity during periods of "base flow" of the creek. This is particularly evident for periods during 1987 and 1988 when the majority of the low levels of SC correspond with fl low levels of NFR. The exceptions to this may be a result of suspended solids (NFR) due to rainfall on the upper sub-catchments of Jews and Baal Bone Creeks in the absence of high intensity rainfall on the Ben Bullen catchment which feeds water to the open-cut pit and leachate producing overburden mounds. The mean SC I at this point is also a little higher than that recorded by Toyer and Main (1981) in the baseline study of the Wolgan River (mean SC 84 p.S/cm, range 32 to 190 I p.5/cm). This is due to only a few relatively higher values. 11 I
Enviionmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliely I December 1989
I Fig. 2.2 I I Specific Conductance 50 I 401
30 I Sc 20 I 10 . . 0 I I I 15-Feb 21-Mar. 25-Apr 30-May 4-Jul 7-Aug- I 2.3 Filtrable Residue
Filtrable Residue (FR) like that of SC is a measure of the total dissolved solids or I salts.in the water. The large range (10 to 260 mg/L) similarly indicating variable influence from the saline leachates entering this short stretch of Jews Creck. I Fig. 2.3 I Filtrable Residue I 30 25 • I 20 FR 15 . • lip I 10 ••• , • S• • 1 5( • • ••• ••. 0 I I I 15-Feb 21-Mar. 25-Apr 30-May. 4-Jul ?-Aug. I I I
Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I I 2.4 Sulphate (SO4)
[j Sulphate (SO4) concentrations vary from very low levels typical of waters flowing from Triassic sandstone environments to moderately higher levels (Also see Table A3.2)indicative of leachate from the overburden of the Illawarra Coal Measures. The range in concentrations is nevertheless well below 250-mg/L, the lowest level I category of the criteria (Table A3d, Schedule 2, CWA).
Fig. 2.4
Sulphate
8(
7(
6(
5(
S04 40 3( 1 2( . . 0 —1- I I 5-Feb 1 2-Dec 7-Oct- 3-Aug 30- M a) 26-Mar 20-Jan 1 5-Nob
I I I I I I
Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I 2.5 Total Iron (TFe), Filtrable Iron (FFe) & Non-Filtrable Residue (NFR) I
The level of iron in the water is periodically higher than the criteria listed (Table I 11A3). Iron is, however, a natural component of the soils and lithology of the lease area and all but a few high levels are typical of "natural" waters from these environments. The occasional high level of both Total Iron (T Fe) and Filtrable I Iron (F Fe) is associated with increased levels of NFR (and turbidity) following rainfall.(see Table.2/A3). I Fig. 2.5.1
Total Iron
3. 5
3.0
2.5
2.0 TF 1 1.5 • 1.0 •' • •• 0.5 • • • 0.0 I I I I I 5.Feb 1 2-Dec 7-Oct. 3-Aug. 30-May 26.Mar 20-Jan 15-Nov
I I I
Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliery I December 1989 I Fig. 2.5.2 I I Filtrable Iron 0.8 I 0.7 0.6 I 0.5 F ROA I 0.3 0.2 I 0.1 0.0 I 15-Feb 21-Ma1 2 5 - A p r 30-Ma' 4-Jul 7-Aug I Fig. 2.5.3 I I Non Filtrable Residue 14 I 12 10
I 8( NFR 6( •
I 4C
2( I AJO 0 0 i 4-JUl- 7-Aug I 15-Feb 21-Ma1 2 5 - A p r 30-May I I
I
Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Colliety I December 1989
I 2.6 Zinc (Zn) I The concentration of the metallic ion zinc is well within the various water quality limits. All but three of the samples taken from the Jews Creek monitoring point had I zinc concentrations below the detection level of the analytical method used, i.e., 0.02 mg/L (indicated by the horizontal arrow on Figure 2.6 below). I Fig. 2.6 I
I 0.0 . I 0.0 0.0 I 0.0 Zno.O I' 0.0 0.0 I 0.0 . .(. 0.0 I I 15-Feb 1 2-Dec 7-Oct- 3-Aug 30- M a 26-Mar 20Jafl I 5-Nob I
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I I 10 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I 2.7 Grease and Oil (G&O) I The concentrations of grease and oil vary from 4 to 40 mg/L at BBJ. High grease and oil levels can arise from natural organic products. It is not known how much, I if any, of the G&O is contributed from man made sources. I Fig. 2.7
$ Grease and Oil I 40 3 I 3( 2 I G&02 . . I • . . 5 . 0 I 15•Feb 12•Dec• 7-Oct- 3-Aug. 30-May. 26-Mar. 20-Jan 15-Nov I I 1 I I I I I I 11 Envimnmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I TABLE 1
I Water Quality Criteria and Standards
U Chemical I Domestic Irrigation Stock Aquatic Schedule 2 Test I I Water I Life(b) CWA I pH 6.5 - 9.0 4.5 - 9.0 5.5 - 9.0 5.0 - 9.0 6.5 - 8.5 Specific 1500 900 4000 2300 Conductance Chloride 250 70 - 350 (a) 1500 250 I Nitrate, as 45 90 - 200 (a) No3 Sulphate 250 500 1000 250 I Calcium 200 1000 Magnesium 150 250 - 500 (a) 100 Potassium 1000 50 I Sodium 270 35 - 710 (a) 2000 Suspended 80 Solids Boron 1.0 0.3 - 2.0 (a) 1.0 I Fluoride 1.5 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 Phosphate, 0.2 P I Antimony 12 - 20 a) Arsenic 0.05 0.1 1.0 0.05 0.05 Cadmium 0.01 0.01 0.01 .004-0.03 (a) 0.01 I Copper 1.0 0.2 0.5 - 2.0 (a) 0.01 1.0 Iron 0.3 1.0 10.0 1.0 - 2.0 03 (Filtr.) Lead 0.05 5.0 0.5 0.02 0.05 Zinc 5.0 2.0 20.0 0.1 - 1.0 (a) 5.0 I Manganese 0.1 0.5 10.0 1.0 0.05(Filtr.)
Notes: (a) Where a range of concentrations is given, the actual I value depends on the species of plant or animal concerned. (b) General limits for aquatic life are difficult to define. The toxicity of an element depends on a large number of factors including water composition, pH, I species type, age and condition. The values quoted are levels at which action is advisable to determine the source of the pollutant, in order to protect the sensitive species. I SOURCE: Toyer and Main (1981) I Sample Point Designation BB J...... Jews Creek, upstream of confluence with Ben Bullen I Creek. I I I 12 Environmental Impact Statement, Baal Bone Colliery I December 1989 I TABLE 2 Water Analyses for Jews Creek Monitoring Point [BB J I 19839TO 1988 Li Date pH SC NFR FR G&O SO4 T.Fe F.Fe Zn Al VS [1 US/c mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L I Qitena (CWA) 6.5-8.5 30 175 20 250 1.0 0.3 5.0 20 1983 -1988 MEAN: 6.6 110 15 96 17 .68 <.38 <.02 .70 MAX: 7.5 404 123 260 75 3.13 .80 .08 Li MIN: 5.5 50 <1 10 2 .06 <.02 <.02 N: 42 34 40 38 28 34 5 14 SD: .3 80 22 52 17 .67 1 1 2351983 11 78 265 6.7 18 94 1 6 6.7 14 98 86 60 I 146 10 226 6.4 7 86 16 1 1984 6.3 123 78 4 <5 1.40 I 12 6.4 6 32 5 5 .23 283 7.1 184 6.9 10 4 1985 7.1 404 15 260 7 37 .24 .01 <.02 [1 6 5 6.8 125 7 120 14 .19 5 6 6.4 75 5 50 14 .18 4 7 6.6 95 2 94 6 9 .13 .03 5 8 5.8 128 27 88 8 .34 I 5 9 6.6 72 4 70 16 .20 1 10 6.6 103 3 220 11 .26 4 11 6.5 153 6 120 10 12 .62 <.02 3 12 6.5 79 10 110 8 .94 I 22 1 1986 6.8 166 16 115 9 35 1.10 .08 4 2 6.6 106 12 110 6 1.02 <.02 5 3 6.9 137 10 86 18 11 .79 <.02 I 20. 1.1987 6.3 101 20 86 4 2.09 5.3 6.2 56 8 92 4 .50 3. 4 6.5 55 4 48 7 .91 <.02 .70 20. 5 6.4 53 3 40 7 .26 <.02 -' * F 3. 6 7.2 129 2 100 18 25 .20 1. 7 7.5 248 <1 220 50 .18 8 6.7 70 <1 60 20 .18 9 6.7 55 5 35 12 .28 <.02 I 14.10 6.7 50 2 60 18 13 .24 4.11 6.7 57 6 10 9 .34 <.02 I 6.12 5.5 9 .39 continued/ I I 1 13 Environmental Impact Statement, Baa! Bone Collieiy I December 1989 I Date pH SC NFR FR G&O SO4 TFe F.Fe Zn Al VS I US/c mg/L mg/L mgIL mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
I Qiteria (CWA)) 6.5-8.5 30 175 20 250 1.0 0.3 5.0 20
4 1.1988 6.7 60 8 120 2 .88 <.02 1 2 6.8 165 20 110 30 25 3.13 .04 I 1 3 6.9 325 15 180 40 40 .06 15 4 6.3 78 20 150 10 .92 31 5 6.9 74 5 60 10 10 .55 I 29 6 6.5 59 65 125 15 15 1.83 .26 11 7 6.5 57 18 6.5 54 10 60 20 20 308 6.7 58 75 10 I 30 9 6.7 72 20 50 75 .67 .29 <.02 2 11 6.9 103 20 70 5 1.32 .80 .02 I 2 12 6.8 114 2 10 5 1 .60 .52
I LEGEND sc = Specific conductance I NFR = Non Filtrable Residue FR = Filtrable Residue T.Fe = Total Iron F.Fe = Filtrable Iron Ll O&G = Oil and Grease SO4 = Sulphate Zn = Zinc I VS = Volatile Solids -1 = Insufficient NFR for VS analysis Al = Aluminium I * = Data not used in statistical analysis I I I I L I I I APPENDIX 4 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Lii I li l I P I I 1
BAAL BONE COLLIERY EXTENSION
COAL LEASE APPLICATION 192 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY I I I I by Helen Brayshaw
February 1989 [11 I I A report to Coalex Pty Limited I
Brayshaw McDonald Pty Ltd Consultant Archaeologists 51Thompson St, DRUMMOYNE 2047 02/8197962 I I I I LI CONTENTS I i INTRODUCTION 1 I 2 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 2 1 3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT 3 4 THE SURVEY 5 4.1 Procedure I 4.2 Results 4.3 Discussion 1 5 ABORIGINAL CONSULTATION 8 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 9 1 7 REFERENCES 11
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I 1 I I I FIGURES Location Map Sydney 1:250,000 14 1 Coal Lease Application 192 - Location 15 Mine Plan 16
I Site Location Map 1:25,000 17 I Selected Stone Artefacts 18
I TABLE 1 Recorded Artefacts 19
PLATES
1. Rugged escarpment in the Baal Bone Creek catchment 21
2. Typically steep base of escarpment with no shelters and a steep slope below 21
3. View north west of swamp along Jews Creek 22
4. View north east of cleared area south of Baal Bone Gap road 22
5. Baal Bone 1, artefacts identified along vehicle track. Camera facing south. 23
6. Artefacts at Baal Bone 1 23
7. Baal Bone 2, camera facing south west towards small concentration of artefacts on vehicle track 24
8. Baal Bone 2, artefacts from small concentration 24
9. Baal Bone 3, camera facing north 25
10. Artefacts at Baal Bone 3 25
11. Baal Bone 4, camera facing north 26
12. Artefacts at Baal Bone 4 26
13 Baal Bone 5, camera facing north 27
14. Artefacts at Baal Bone 5 27 1 I I 1 1 The archaeological survey which is the subject of this report was commissioned by Coalex Pty Ltd as part of an Environmental Impact I Statement being prepared for a proposed extension to Wallerawang Collieries Limited's Baal Bone mine near Cullen Bullen, 25km north west [1 of Lithgow, NSW. Coal Lease Application No 192 covers an area of about 886ha 2km east of the Lithgow-Mudgee road, abutting the existing Baal Bone Colliery I surface facilities in the south western corner. It is proposed to mine the area covered by Coal Lease Application No 192 by underground mining using the longwall methcxh Commencement of mining F~ in the area is being sought in twelve months. Subsidence impact will be in the order of 1-1.5m and confined to areas within 1km of the P. eastern and southern boundaries of the study area. The Baal Bone Colliery facilities will service the mine extension, so no surface disturbance other than that associated with subsidence is anticipated, although application for limited extraction by open cut method may be I considered at some time in the future. The purpose of the archaeological survey was the identification of constraints imposed upon the development by Aboriginal archaeological sites. This report describes the fieldwork procedure and results of the surface survey for archaeological sites within the Lease Application Area. Also described are previously kncn archaeological sites in the Cullen Bullen area, the local and regional prehistory and the environmental context of the area as a basis for assessing the archaeological importance of sites identified during the survey. Aboriginal consultation is described. The report makes recornmerxiations I on the management of sites identified on the basis of their assessed I scientific value and Aboriginal significance. I
I 17 I I I The study area is situated immediately west of the Wolgan River Valley. The Great Dividing Range passes from the east around the northern I perimeter of the area above massive scarps extending from east of Baal Bone Gap, to Baal Bone Point and west beyond Tarpeain Rock. The northern section of the study area contains extensive sandstone outcropping, and minor outcrops occur in the south west, but the ridges have generally narrow tops and are not connected to extensive ridge formations which might constitute part of an Aboriginal travel route.
I The outcrops are composed of Triassic sandstone, shale and tuff of the Narrabeen Group [Syciiey 1:250,000 Geolcxjical Series]. Within the study area this bedrock dces not weather into occupiable shelters. The slopes F~ immediately below the outcrops are extremely steep and access between ridge top and slopes is very difficult. Highlands over this bedrock to the north and south reach over 1,000m ASL. The Narrabeen formation S overlies less resistant Permian Illawarra Coal Measures corrprised of shale, sandstone, conglomerate and chart, and the valley floors between fall to below 850m ASL.
Jews Creek rises in the steep narrow gorges to the north; it flows south and west through the study area, being joined from the east by Baal Bone Creek. An unnamed tributary also joins it from the south eastern I corner. All of these creeks, which have sandy or grassy beds, sustained some waterf low at the time of the survey, although smaller gullies were dry.
The northern half of the study area, the eastern third and a narrow strip along the southern boundary are part of the Ben Bullen State Forest. On the high ridges in the northern section open heath occurs with Casuarina nana and Leptosperuin spp dominant, also open scrub and woodland with Eucalyptus rossi and E. piperata. Closed heath occurs in the swamps of upper Jews Creek and Baal Bone Creek, dominated by Leptospernum spp and Creviflea spp. Also present here are the sedge grasses Calnia sieberana and Carex sp, the former also occurring in open heath and a small area of open forest on the north eastern boundary. Elsewhere along the creeks is woodland and grassy open forest dominated by species such as E. innifera, E. paucif].ora and E. viminalis. The slopes above and higher areas in the south are clothed in woodland dominated by E. rossi and E. ct1aiga. The seeds of Cal-nia are known to have constituted an important year-round source of food for Aborigines in the region; another important known food source is Lairra, which has been recorded in all vegetational zones within the study area, species present being L. glauca and L. loigifo1ia [vegetational information provided by environmental consultant Mr Brian Stone].
The more open central and south western section of the study area has been cleared for grazing purposes, and a significant part has also been subjected to the plough. Subsequent undarmanagement has facilitated the invasion of exotic plants, in particular Rubus vulgaris [blackberry].
2 I I I I The study area had previously been subject to sample archaeological survey by Gorecki as part of his investigation of the Mount Piper coal I supply augmentation and the lower Coxs River water supply scheme. The unit referred to by him as Blue Rocks, somewhat larger than the present Lease Application area, was surveyed with one assistant over a pericd of I probably not more than one day [Gorecki 1982a:l]. He surveyed around the Jews Creek swamp area, on the higher ground west and south west of there and the outcrops on ridges to the east. The latter he found not to form Li shelters or anything but extremely difficult access between the slope below and the ridgetop above. No cleared or wooded areas south of Baal Bone Creek were investigated except perhaps the area immediately adjacent to the Baal Bone Gap road. Gorecki found no Aboriginal sites I and was of the opinion that no significant sites would be found in the area. He recorded an occupied squatter's hut of some social and historic interest situated on top of the high ridge overlooking Jews Creek and immediately adjacent to the western boundary of the study area.
In the Morenire survey unit 2-3km to the west Gorecki found a rock shelter with archaeological deposit [NP Site #45-1-801 on the southern side of a low escarpment along the Jews Creek valley floor. Artefacts present on the ercded talus slope included a large utilized basalt flake I and two quartzite pebble hammerstones. He found a further four shelters with potential archaeological deposit. I Other archaeological investigations in the region include Gorecki's survey of the Angus Place colliery extension [1982b] and those associated with the Mount Piper power station and the Invincible Colliery [Haglund 1982a-c, 1985a-b, Rich 1985]. Gorecki found an art F~ site, a stone arrangement [#45-1-78,-79] and several shelters with
potential archaeological deposit, but only one artefact - a hammerstone. Haglund found one shelter with occupation deposit, one grinding groove I site and ten open sites in the form of scatters of stone artefacts. These open sites tended to be very small and were typically located on a small flat topped spur near a swamp or at the headwaters of a small I tributary. Quartz was the predominant raw material followed by chert and quartzite. Most artefacts were unmcdified, blades occurred, as did one backed microlith of chert and steep scrapers of quartz. As a result of test excavation of one site [Ivanhoe 21 Haglund interpreted it to be an undisturbed example typical to the area between the Blue Mountains and
Portland - a sparse and discontinuous scatter of stone artefacts in shallow topsoil close to a wateroourse but above flocd level. It had few implements diiostic of the Australian Small Tool Tradition, but apparently fitted within this, ie belonged to the last 3-4,000 years. Rich located two open sites [#45-1-93,-94]. one was situated 50m from a I swamp on the Coxs River, the other 400m from the swamp. Raw materials identified at the sites included quartz, quartzite, indurated mudstone, chert, petrified wocd, silcrete and volcanics. I Increasing nunters of small open sites, the predominant site type in the I western Blue Mountains, are being identified, for example the two 3 I Li I
located by Brayshaw [1983] on Marrangaroo Creek north of Lithgow, a I further six identified in that area by Rich [1988] and four by Silcox [1988] east of the Coxs River near the Great Western Highay. LI The area to the east, including the Newnes Plateau and Wolgan River valley, has been subject to several extensive investigations [Gorecki 1983, Gollan 1983, Lennon 1983, McIntyre 1989]. While shelter sites occur at accessible points in the escarpment, particularly at the head I of valleys, open sites tend to be rare on the high plateau [McIntyre 19891. Within the valleys open sites teri to occur in association with swamps. Assenblages at many sites lack diagnostic components, but at I least some of them contain artefacts belonging to the Small Tool Tradition, indicating that they have been occupied within the last 3- I 4,000 years [Gollan 1983:95-61. It has been suggested that the focus of these occupation sites has been the sedge grass Gathia spp and to a lesser extent Lcanandra spp, plants providing the basis of a switch to a diet emphasizing complex I carbohydrate which, with the development of the associated new technology, in turn enabled an increase in population of the area [Joftison 1979, Bowdier 1981, Lennon 19831. Prior to this, occupaticri of I the Blue Mountains region, extending back 12 -14,000 years, appears to have been discontinuous and not very intensive [Bowdier 19831. I Within the present study area, given the dominance of Galnia in the swamps of Jews Creek and Baal Bone Creek, and the widespread occurrence of Lanandra, a consequent expectation might be relatively large sites near the swamps and smaller sites elsewhere in elevated positions within I reach of water.
i I
I I I I I 1 4 THE SURVEY 4.1 Proc&ire
I Prior to the field survey being undertaken the National Parks & Wildlife Service register of Aboriginal sites was consulted and it was ascertained that the area had been surveyed previously [Gorecki 1982a]. I This was brought to the attention of Mr Luke Goc3win, archaeologist in the Central Region office of the National Parks & Wildlife Service. He suggested that, in view of the brevity of the earlier survey and archaeological findings in the region since 1982, the area should be I subject to more intensive survey. Gorecki ' s report, as well as those of other archaeological consultancies, academic research papers and other relevant documents were consulted. This facilitated the I prediction of site type, location and content outlined above. The field survey was carried out by two archaeologists, Helen Brayshaw and Dr Laila Haglund, over a three day pericxd, February 14-16 inclusive. I Mr John Bugg, Coordinator of the Wiridradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council, also participated for the first two days of the survey. All I three days were fine and sunny. The Ben Bullen and Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 topographical maps were used in the field, together with an aerial photograph [NSW Wallerawang I 3376:298]. The only area surveyed in detail by Gorecki [1982a] was in the north western section of the study area, particularly on the high land and I part of around the upper Jews Creek swamp. Here the strategy was to complement rather than duplicate his survey except for the swamp along Jews Creek, the surrounds of which were searched intensively. I Sect ions of escarpment above Baal Bone Creek and in the south eastern corner of the study area were examined. Otherwise attention was directed to exposures along creeks, ridges flanking creek valleys and ridges I separating minor catchments. No attempt was made to relocate the settler's hut, since it had already been recorded by Gorecki, and was at risk from neither subsidence nor I potential open cut mining.
1 4.2 Results During the survey five open sites, or scatters of stone artefacts, and I four isolated artefacts were identified. BaalBcnel Map ref: Ben Bullen 1:25,000 2/2700 63/1842 I Location: Along a road west of and parallel to a swarnw section of Jews Creek, within 500m of the north western boundary of the study area. Landform: Where the artefacts are located the road is 40-50m from the I edge of the swamp and about 4m above it at the centre and 5m at either end of the artefacts, which extend over 230m. The road, up to 2m wide, 1 5 I I Li follows a terrace along the side of the creek. Artefacts were found on the surface of the road and in bulldozed earth beside it. I Contents: Forty artefacts were recorded, all but five being of quartz. Quartz artefacts included cores, flakes and flaked pieces, some readily identifiable, features of others possibly the result of road damage. Of I particular note were two flakes with steep retouch and the butt end of a backed piece. Artefacts of other materials included 3 mudstone flakes or fragments of flakes, a ci-ert flaked piece and a broken pble with I pitting at the end, which appeared to be half of a muller or hammers tone.
Baal Bone 2 I Map ref: Ben Bullen 1:25,000 2/2688 63/1768 Location: On a ridge between Jews Creek and Baal Bone Creek, about 550m south of Baal Bone 1. I Landform: A very sparse scatter of artefacts was identified along 400m of the ridge extending west and then south between the creeks, whith merge 700m to the south west. A small focus of artefacts occurred on a track, within 30m of and about 7m above Baal Bone Creek. I Contents: All of the artefacts were of quartz, including flakes, fragments of flakes and flaked pieces. The maximum artefact density, at I the focus mentioned above, was 8/rn2. Baal Bcne 3 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2751 63/1694 Location: On a vehicle track lOOm north west of the road to Baal Bone Gap and 720m west of the eastern boundary. Landform: On a north eastern ridge slope 180m south of and 20m above Baal Bone Creek. Contents: Seven artefacts were identified, 5 being flakes and flaked pieces of quartz, the remainder a flake and a flake fragment of mudstone. Baal Bcne 4 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2681 63/1582 Location: On a track about lOOm south of a set of stockyards and 380m south east of the road to Baal Bone Gap. Landform: The site is on the north eastern slope of a spur about 8m above a tributary of Jews Creek and 120m to the south west of it. Contents: Within a 2x3rn area along the track 5 artefacts were identified, one silcrete flake and the remainder flakes and fragments of quartz. Baal Bone 5 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2638 63/1604 Location: About 30m north of the Baal Bone Gap road ti-rough a gate on a I vehicle track near a set of stockyards. The site is 400m east of the western boundary of the study area. Landform: The artefacts are on the north eastern slope of a broad spur I 750m south of Jews Creek but less than 150m west of an ephemeral tributary. Contents: Nine artefacts were identified within a 15xlOm area including I the track and adjacent exposure. One of the artefacts was a mudstone flake and the remainder quartz cores, flakes and fragments.
I 6 I I I
IF 1 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2800 63/1715 Location: on a lightly bulldozed strip 8m south of the road to Baal Bone Gap and 200m from Baal Bone Creek, on the north eastern slope of a spur. I Description: Quartz flake fragment. 1F2 Map ref: Ben Bullen 1:25,000 2/2674 63/1748 I Location: At the end of a ridge 200m south west of the focal area of Baal Bone 2 and about 50m north of Jews Creek. I Description: Quartz flake. 1F3 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2698 63/1616 I Location: On a north west sloping spur 150m south of the Baal Bone Gap road and 200m east of a seasonal tributary of Jews Creek. Description: Quartz piece with steep scraper retouch/usewear. I IF 4 Map ref: Cullen Bullen 1:25,000 2/2711 63/1559 Location: In a cleared area at the south eastern corner of Portion 31, I c20m south of a seasonal tributary of Jews Creek. _ Description: Quartz flake fragment.
4.3 Discussim
The sites identified during the survey are very much within the emerging I pattern of open sites in this area of the Blue Mountains. They are small, the largest having 40 artefacts and the remainder 5-12. Mcdified pieces include steep-edged quartz scrapers and a backed piece fragment, I the latter clearly part of the Bondiain Small Tool Tradition; bladelet cores are another component. The raw materials, predominantly quartz with chert, mudstone, silcrete and quartzite, are all available within the region and all represented in many other such sites. The presence I of a hammerstone at Baal Bone 1 may be indicative of foo3 preparation activities at that site. Hamrrerstones were found during surveys of I other areas by Gorecki [1982a,b] and by Haglixid [1982a]. Artefactsare widely distributed through the study area, either as components of sites or isolated, but all are situated on spurs or gentle slopes within reach of but above above watercourses and the flocd plain, often on the verge of steeper slopes. In part this is a measure of visibility as the creek verges and colluvial/alluvial deposits on the flocd plain are well vegetated, and the cleared area tends to be thickly I grassed. Extensive ground exposures apparently devoid of artefacts occurred in other areas, mostly on spurs and slopes, for example on flat topped spurs west of the Jews Creek swamp, and south west of Site 2, I towards the Jews Creek - Baal Bone Creek confluence, also south of the Baal Bone Gap road in the vicinity of IF 3 and in the south western corner of Portion 31. Exposures along vehicle tracks at Sites 2, 3, 4 I and 5 indicated the break of slope above the flood plain and at the base of steeper slopes to be the focus of site location, while Site 1 is on
7 i I I
the terrace immediately above Jews Creek swamp. Ground visibility on [1 high timbered ridges and steep slopes varied from <5-30% making the finding of artefacts there difficult but not impossible.
The sites all appear to be superficial with little likelihood of I stratified deposit, with the possible exception of Site 1, and the overall impression is of transient foraging occupation of the area I rather than permanent occupation. I
It is National Parks & Wildlife Service policy that local Aboriginal I communities are consulted about arch3eological surveys associated with cvelopments proposed within their area. The application area is within the boundaries of the Windradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council, based at Bathurst.
The Land Council Coordinator, Mr JoFri Bugg, was consulted beforehand about the survey and as indicated above, participated on two of the three days of its duration. He saw all five sites located.
It was Mr Bugg's view that while the area had undoubtedly been ranged I over by by Aborigines hunting and gathering, it had not been a place where they were likely to have stayed for any length of time. The transient nature of their occupation of the area he found reflected in i the small open sites icntified during the survey. Mr Bugg had no objectipon to unrground mining of the area and was of the opinion that the merrrs of the Wiridradyne Local Land Council were unlikely to object in the event of application being made for consent to destroy sites. However, when or if open cut mining is pursued and application for consent to destrciy any of the sites is being considered, the Local Land Council should be consulted and asked to put this matter before a meeting. I
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i I I I I I
The major impact on open sites likely to result from subsidence would be acceleratederosion due to alterations of drainage patterns [OtConnor 19821. The sites identified during the present investigation are all small, with one possible exception having little likelihood of stratified subsurface deposit. All are to some extent disturbed. Additionally, all are on elevated ground, where the degree of subsidence I anticipated is unlikely to have a significant effect. Therefore monitoring of subsidence effects on those sites above the longwall mining is regarded as unnecessary. In the event of open cut mining I consent to destroy would need to be applied for. The only site that might repay subsurface investigation is Site 1, and this is unlikely to I be at risk in view of the degree of overburden in the area. 1. Longwall underground mining is not likely to have a significant effect on any of the sites identified. Therefore neither monitoring nor any other form of action is required by the developer prior to I cariirencing underground mining.
2. In the event of open cut mining or any other surface activity I likely to impact detrirrentally upon the sites, consent to destroy the sites in question would have to be sought from the Director of I the National Parks & Wildlife Service. - 3. In the event of application being made for consent to destroy, it is recommended that it be granted without further investigation being required for all sites except Site 1. In the case of Site 1 I examination and analysis of subsurface deposits would be prerequisite. I 4. applications for consent to destroy sites should be directed to the Director of the National Parks & Wildlife Service through Ms Brcnwyn Ccnyers, Cultural Resources Coordinator, Central Region I office. 5. In the event of application being made for consent to destroy any of the sites the Windradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council should be I informed and asked to vote on the matter at a Council meeting. I I
I
1 9 I I Li 6. Five copies of this report should be forwarded to
I Ms Bronwyn Conyers, Cultural Resources Coordinator, National Parks & Wildlife Service, io Box 95, I PARRAMATTh, 2150.
7. One copy of this report should be forwarded to I Mr Jofti Bugg, Coordinator, I Windradyne Local Aboriginal Land Council, 125 William St, BTHTJRST,2795.
I These recommendations are made on the basis of the National Parks & Wildlife Act of 1974 [as amended], whery it is illegal to damage, deface or destroy an Aboriginal relic without written permission of the I Director. Should any further relics be encountered during the course of development, officers of the National Parks & Wildlife Service should be I informed without delay.
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10 1 7 I
I Bowdier S. 1981 Hunters in the Highlands: Aboriginal adaptations in the eastern Australian uplands. Arcteology in Oceania 16, 2:99- I 111. 1983 Aboriginal sites on the Crcn-tiither lands of New South Wales. Report to the Forestry Commission of New South I Wales.
Brayshaw H.C. 1979 Clarence Colliery to Wallerawang Power Station I transmission line survey. Report to Clarence Colliery Pty Ltd. 1980 Preliminary and final reports on an I archaeological survey of a propod 66KV transmission line in the Lithgow area. Report to Preece Cardew & Rider.
1981 Archaeological survey of propod route of rail I link between Newnes Junction and Birds Rock. Report to Sinclair Knight & Partners Pty Ltd.
1983 Archaeological survey of the North Hermitage Colliery, Lithgow, ISW. Report to the Lithgow Valley Colliery Co Ltd.
Cubis L. 1983 An archaeological survey of a prcposed ventilator unit site, Wolgan Gap. Report to Austen and Butta Limited through I Sinclair Knight & Partners Pty Ltd. Frankham B.S. & Mould G.R. 1980 Mining subsidence in tEW - recent developments. Aus 1MM Conference, New Zealand.
Gollan K. 1987 Archaeological investigations on Newnes Plateau. Report to National Parks & Wildlife Service.
I Gorecki P. 1982a Archaeological survey of Mount Piper Power Station coal supply augmentation and lower Coxs River water supply scheme. Report to Electricity Commission of tRW.
1982b Archaeological survey, Angus Place colliery lease, Lithgow, NSW. Report to Electricity Commission of tEW through I MacDonald Wagner & Priddle Pty Ltd. 1983 A survey of Karriwarra Colliery Lease, Lithgow. D Report to Electricity Commission of NISW. Haglund L. 1982a Archaeological investigation east of Portland. I Report to Blue Circle Southern Cement Limited. 1982b Report on archaeological survey of the Cullen main Colliery area, south of Cullen Bullen, NSW. Report to Blue Circle I Southern Cement Limited through Longworth & McKenzie Pty Ltd. I 11 I I I
Haglund L. 1982c Pipers Flat Creek Colliery: report on archaeological I survey of proposed extension. Report to Blue Circle Southern Cement Limited through Longworth & McKenzie Pty Ltd.
1985a Invincible Colliery, !EW: archaeological survey of I area on Coxs River proposed for pit top facilities and access road. Report to Austen & Butta Limited through Sinclair Knight & Partners Pty Ltd. iI 1985b Archaeological survey of area proposed for rail spur and loop, Invincible Colliery, tEW. Report to Austen & Butta I Ltd through Sinclair Knight & Partners Pty Ltd. Haglund L. & Stockton J. 1981 An archaeological survey of the East I Lithgow Colliery Area. Report to Longworth and McKenzie Pty Ltd. Johnson I. 1979 The getting of data: a case study from the recent industries of Australia. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian I National University, Canberra. Kinhill Steams 1986 Electricity transmission line from Mount Piper Power Station to Marulan Substation. Environmental Impact Statement.
Kohen J. 1977 A surface workshcp at Lapstone Creek. Report to National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Lennon R. 1983 The great Wolgan mystery: a site location and i exploitation model of the Blue Mountains. BA [Hons] thesis, University of Sydiey.
McCarthy F.D. 1964 The archaeology of the Capertee Valley, New South Wales. Reazth of the Australian Musetin 26:197-247.
McIntyre S. 1989 Archaeological survey of the proposed Kariwara Lcngwall coal mine [Draft]. Report to MSW Electricity Ccmmission.
Nexus Environmental Studies 1981 Baal Bone Colliery Environmental n Impact Statement. Report to Coalex Pty Ltd. O'Connor S. 1982 Underground mining and subsidence: possible effects on Aboriginal sites. National Parks & Wildlife Service Information I Sheet SOC:BH.
Rich E. 1985 An archaeological survey of the proposed Angus Place to I Mount Piper coal conveyor and a preliminary archaeological investigation for a proposed water pipeline from Honeysuckle Flat to Mount Piper. Report to MSW Electricity Canmission.
1988 Proposed prison at Marrangaroo Creek, near Lithgow, NSW: archaeological survey for Aboriginal sites. Report to Department of Public Works through Planning Worksl-op Pty Ltd. I 12 I I I Silcox R. 1988 Archaeological survey of Cox's River diversion - State I Highway 5, Lithgow, tEW. Report to Department of Main Roads. Stockton E.D. 1970 An archaeological survey of the Blue Mountains. I Mankind 7:295-301. Stockton E.D. & Holland W. 1974 Cultural sites and their environment in the Blue Mountains. Archaeology and Physical Authroology in I Oceania 9:36-65. Tindale N.B. 1961 Archaeological excavation of the Noola Rock I shelter. Records of the South Australian Museun 14: 193-196. Tcwnley, P. 1978 Archaeological survey of prosed transmission line between Wallerawang and South Sychey. Report to Electricity I Canmission of NSW. Van Proctor J. & Ward R. 1982 Mount Boyce archaeological survey. MPWS. I Wright R.V.S. 1975 Wallerawang Power Station - survey for Archaeological sites. Report to Electricity Commission of NSW. I
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I Fig 5: Selected Stone Artefacts I (Nos refer Table 1) IF 3
I (actual size) I I 18 I [1 I I W.T.Pffm:SoE pia I Baal Rre 1 Quartz core, sir4e pl3tfcxm 38x46x4&im lmst flake sar 28/46mn; ftck€n pEtble, 30% crrt:ex. Curtz axe, single platfcrm 28xl8x3Orrrn 29/3in 30% axtex. QarLz crre/stp s:xaper, b.'er face reg3tie flake sar 38x27x26rrm. I Coartz axe, nultiplatfam, 27xZxl9rrm 22/27mm çwrtz qDlit petble with sEs.eial flake facets, 3lx27xl6rrm; % ccrt:ex. Rib1e imd drraga. Quartz aie, single platfam 23x17x15 17/nrr I çwrtz flaked piece 29x15x12nm. Quartz flaked piece 27X18X13n1rL Quartz flaked piece 23x12x10nm. Quartz f laked piece 2JXl4XllflTrL. II. Quartz flake, mid cart cnly, [22]xl8x]2nm. çut2 flake, ftdcco, {22]xx6nm. Cj.ertz flake 29x18x6rim, ftced pletfcxm. Quartz flake, ftdc -i, [16] x26x7nrn, ftcad platfcriT % cxrtex. Cwrtz flaked piece, irreçplar, 26xllx10Tn. Quartz flake 3xl3x9nm; c?anaçpd. I crLz flake ftagiait [18]xl7x5nm; cnagad. Quartz; flake fgi -t [15]xl6x4rrm; thraged. Qirtz flake fragit 18x15x2rn; cèneged. Quartz flake 19x20x6mn thiaged, ftcai plat±cnn, th1 face all cxrtex. I Quartz flake figimt [18]xl7x5nm. Quartz flaked piece, irrei1ar, l8xl3x8rim. Quartz flaked piece l7x8x7rmi. I 24 - 32. Quartz flaked pieces maxirrLrn dilTaIsicn LI I I cnrtz flakal pi&e 22x14x&im. çuE1z flaksi piece 2lxlOx9rrm; ro ccrtex. 1. Cartz flakafi riece 18xl6x8im. cuartz b~dcEn flake [18]xl8x7nui; plat±arn missing. Qartz ftckai flake []fl]xlOx4nn; platfani missing. Mixista-e flake 16xl6x5mii; ftcal plaffam. S Ikrfstcre flake fragr6lt, mid jart cnly, [14]xl4x5mn. B3al am 4 cwrtz flakel jiee 15x12x&im. Qartz flake 3x2lxfiim; ftcad platfcrm, çible retouch o issr El distal ad. çoartz tricken flake [14 3x10x5im; platfcrm missing. cartz flake ftagiit [16]xl4xim. Fire grsimi silcrete flake 43x43x12nm; ftcal platLdm. $ BaalRre5 Qartz cce, single platfcrm, 4lx3Jx27rmi 24/27rmi; no axtex. Oatz flake fi:agrent [13]xl2x7nm; platfarn missing. cirtz flake giit [12]xlOx3rm; platfcrm missing. çuartz flake fragrert [15]xl3x3rtm; platfain missing. I QarLz iennant cf biçclar axe 2Bx25x9rn 18/3m; in 2 piees. QuErtz flake fgieriL [2]x2lx7nin; p1atEami bial ard bitterei. Oiatz flake x19x6am; Ixcad platfcrm. I Q.artz flake fragTEnt [42]x28x1()im; retwd/e3r cn left latel ard distal eig. Mix1stcre [tl-erJ flake 42x22x8mn; bxal platfcrm. I-r-nI ArbeEacts IF 1 Qartz flake ftagit [21]xl8x6rim; ftcad platfcrm, no cortex. - IF 2 çar12 flake, irtjlar, 3Oxl5xSrim; ftcai pat±crm, t1uct rcsj qat±z. I IF 3 Qirtz flake fragTeit [18}x23Tm; platfcrm missing, steT sxeper tatcixh at distal eu. IF 4 (U3rtz flake fgienL [14])&)5rml; fcca]. platfcrm. I I I I a I $ 20 I P1 1: Rugged escarpment in the Baal Bone Creek catchrnent 1 2; Typ::al1y steep base of escarpment with no she1ers and a steep slope ba1c I 21 I I I P1 3 View, north west of swamp along Jews Creek r - $ I iL I I .I 1: Vi ew nort h east of c lCdt ed area souLh of Fi 31 Fone I Gap roan I $ I I Ll kP 19 = I1J T $ I I I I i I T)T? I I [j I I $ P1 7: BaaI Be 2, camera facing south west towards 1 small concentration of artefacts on vehicle track I -- . ,-. .. .. -..... . — :: .. I. - I F .. -.'• .- • • - .--. - . . . - - - •----; -. - • -••' . - - - • .• - - / - _•. 1- •-•• I C] 4 4P. • I I P1 8: Baal Baie 2, art.etacLs from small concentration I 24 I I I L I - --- S -- ii P1 9: Baal Baie 3, camera facing north I . .-.- . .- - - . . . ...... I -' . •. . - .4 . I • .. --•. - . ... .1 - ...... - .. - I -. -.-...- ,.•:-. -•. . t L I - •- . • 4, I :• I - . ••• P M. -' - A ri 10: Artefacts at Baai Bone 3 I 25 I I 'I I I I I -. - - - - -- I El P1 11: BaaI &ne 4, camera facing north p - - ----r - - - -"-• - I .\ i . - .. •ç.s-. - - - I - - Aw p .", - . .... . I - . .•• . -.. - •-: • ...- .•, •' .: — - . - - - - - I - -. • - •,.- •a.. . .-- •. - . .. . ,- . .•••.t . • .j:-,- -'- . .• 4 . • - • - ••• - - - - - Al. ... -'• - . $ :'': '•-•• • ' - . . - . - -- - _'..iu •l--- I I P1 12: Arte facts at BaaI Be 4 I 11 26 I - - P1 13: Baal Bcne 5, camera facinc north P1 14: Artefacts at BaaI Bcie 5 27 I APPENDIX 5 I I COALEX PTY,LIMITED $ BAAL BONE COLLIERY I EIS, AREA A175 SUBSIDENCE ASPECTS OF 1 PROPOSED LONGWALL MINING REPORT NO. S9109/1-AC AUGUST 1989 I I I [J I I I I I I I q $ $ COALEX PTY LIMITED I BAAL BONE COLLIERY I ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT I AREA CLA192 I REPORT S9109/1-AD AUGUSTJ 1989 I I I I I I I I I I C P Thorns, BE MEnuS- -S-AO Fret H 0 Fri oh. BE PhD OBOES rSAn i-BA B C Burma,, BE MESS PhD FiEAE MAIMM M C Ervin, BE SC FIESOt I A Bind,, DoLE uri,np5ri F1EA,O L W Drury, BSn USC PhD D5Hyd 0 K Spuncal. BE MFntk PhD UiEArrst N S Mattes, DAM BE PhD UIEACA P C Thomson P 0 Redman, BE FEEt MICAuC El U Pt,itp (SE UEnBri MIEAOM COFFEY E U Srdhvan BA USC DIC MAIMU UIEAnsI Associatas P Mac-Qmgor BSC Sic UtSoot J 0 Lucas, BE M1EAnSI P J N P511,, BSsEru) USc DID UlEArist A J Best BE MEbuSs MILABsI P J ftitttca, ACtS USIA MIM P K Wong, BE Dii,G-Eng MiEArrst J W A USdea, AM BE UIEAriSt I A Husking, BE MSc(Eng) EtC UIEAOl Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd Consulting Engineers Ittcofpurathid in NSW in the Geotechnical Sciences 12 Waterloo Road North Ryde Sydney 2113 I P0 Box 125 North Ryde New South Wales Your Reference Australia 2113 OurRoforence Telex AA178559 SATCOM (Mailbox) A200016A $ S9109/1-AD Fax (02) 888 9880 Date 21st August 1989 Telephone (02) 888 7444 I The Manager, Coalex Pty. Limited, Silcork Street, LITHGOW. N.S.W. 2790 ATTENTiON MR. MICHAEL HEATH I Dear Sir, RE: Baal Bone Colliery - Environmental Impact Statement, Area CLA192 Enclosed is our report which addresses subsidence aspects of the proposed longwall mining in Area CLA192. Three facets are considered: subsidence effects on surface facilities such as the PWD pipeline and existing homesteads I - impact on existing natural cliff lines possible stream capture I Please contact the undersigned if you have questions regarding this report. Yours faithfully, COFFEY PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL PTY. LTD. I I yj P.J.N. PELLS I I I Sod and rock enginooring Offices and NATA Registered Laboratories Engineering geology Groundwater hydrology Adelaide Albury-Wodonga Alstonville Foundation engineering Brisbane Canberra Darwin Gosford Mining geotechnics Logan City Melbourne Newcastle Penrith Darn engineering Perth Sydney l'ownssulle Wollongong Computer applications Burma, Thailand, Malaysia Construction control & monitonriq Indonesia, Bangladesh I S 9109 / 1-AD I 21st August 1989 2. I I PACE $ 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 I 2.0 PROPOSED MINING 3 3.0 PREDICTED SUBSIDENCE 3 3.1 River Flat Area 3 I 3.2 Hill Area 4 I 4.0 EFFECTS OF SUBSIDENCE 4 4.1 Effects of Surface Strains 5 4.1.1 Pipeline 5 I 4.1.2 Buildings 4.1.3 Cliff Lines 6 4.1.4 Surface Hydrology 7 $ REFERENCES I 8 Important Information About Your Geotechnical Engineering Report I Figure 1 - Plan of Possible Longwall Mining Figure 2 - Area CLA192 - Sections I Figure 3 - Schematic Cracking Above Longwall Panel I I I I I I I I ;icuy Partiiers 11itemational Hy Ltd S9 109/ 1-Al) El 21st August 1989 KI I I 1.0 INTRODUCTION Coal Lease Application 192 (CLA192) is to the north of the existing Baal Bone colliery workings. Figure 1 shows the area in relation to existing topography. Also shown is the presently preferred layout for proposed I longwall panels. From the subsidence viewpoint there are three main points for consideration. These are: 1 A steel and cast iron water supply pipeline (Fish River Pipeline) runs along the gravel road from the present mine site to Baal Bone Cap. This pipeline is about 250mm in diameter but, being buried, we have ' not been able to examine its condition and coupling system. Jews Creek, Baal Bone Creek and tributaries to these creeks cross the area. These are all ephemeral creek systems. However, near the south I western corner of CLA192 are ponds within old open cut workings. Sandstone cliffs at the locations shown on Figure I. The cliff lines I were mapped from a black and white air photo. This report addresses possible impacts of the proposed mining on the above I surface features. 2.0 PROPOSED MINING I Mining will be in the Lithgow Seam. Alternative longwall and continuous miner panel layouts are being considered, with both NS and WE oriented panels. The alternative layouts involve the same considerations from the subsidence viewpoint as the presently preferred system and therefore only the latter is shown on the figures in this report. The presently favoured layout is as shown on Figure 1. Mining in a north western direction is limited by the seam split shown on Figure 1. This means that mining will not occur beneath Jews Creek. Mining thickness will vary between about 2.Om and 2.4m. Sections AA, BB and CC, given on Figure 2, indicate that overburden cover will typically be as follows: River flat area 25m to 50m I Hill area 140m to 190m Longwall faces will be about 200m, separated by single row chain pillars. F-1 Details of pillar sizes are not known but it is assumed that yielding pillars will not be adopted. I 3.0 PREDICTED SUBSIDENCE 3.1 River Flat Area I Maximum subsidence is likely to vary between 60% and 80% of mining thickness, i.e. between 1.2m and 1.8m. I I I Cotfey Partners International Ply Ltd I 21st August 1989 4. EM I At cover depths of less than 50m it is unrealistic to calculate surface strains from empirical curves. I It is more useful to use the Salamon classification (Reference 1). This suggests that with a mining thickness of 2m to 2.4m and cover between 25m and 50m, subsidence should be discontinuous and accompanied by surface cracking. In the shallower areas I (<30m) there is likely to be a distinct step in the vertical subsidence, roughly above the edge of a mined out area. Cracks will appear along the edges of longwalls and parallel to the retreating faces. Cracks parallel I to the face will open and then close as the faces pass through. Cracks along the chain pillar lines are likely to remain open, although in areas of reasonably thick soil cover they are likely to collapse and wash in during rain. I The area of Continuous miner panels is in the River Flat. Subsidence above these panels is likely to be less than above the longwall panels. I Depending on the size of remnant pillars it is estimated that maximum subsidence will be in the range of lm to 1. 4m. I 3.2 Hill Area As shown on Figure 1 there are two areas of high ground where the seam cover is greater than about 60m (ground above about RI 900m). The main I area is in the SE corner of CLA192, covering about 102 ha. The other area is just north of Baal Eone Creek and covers about 60 ha. I Where cover is in the range 60m to lOOm, maximum subsidence is likely to be about 60% of mined thickness, i.e. 1.2m to 1.5m. Cracking can be expected in the surface in much the same manner as in the deeper cover portion of I the river flat area. Where cover is greater than about 150xn, and up to the maximum value of 190m, total subsidence is likely to remain about 60% of mining thickness. At these high cover values, surface strains should, in theory, be reasonably smooth. However, strains may be concentrated where there are abrupt changes in topography, such as along cliff lines. I 4.0 EFFECTS OF SUBSIDENCE The effects of subsidence on existing surface facilities will arise from PJ two main phenomena, namely: surface tensile strains and associated cracking and tilting of the I ground surface increases in vertical permeability of the strata above the workings I Surface strains and tilting may affect: cliff line stability, I integrity of the pipeline, and surface structures. I I 1 ;of fey Partners Inleinazional Pty Ltd I 21st August 1989 5. I ...... ..... increases in vertical permeability could, in principle, affect flow of I streams or could result in drainage of surface storage areas. 4.1 Effects of Surface Strains I 4.1.1 Pipeline Potentially the worst strains likely to affect the pipeline will occur I when: (1) the first longwall passes beneath the line, and I (2) at the position where the pipeline crosses the permanent mine access roadways which link the longwall panels. I As di scussed in Section 3, the cover between the workings and pipeline varies between about 25m and 60ni. Surface strains are likely to be discontinuous, but with averaged maximum tensile strains in the range 20 to 30mm per metre. Averaged maximum compressive strains may be in the range I 40 to 70 mm/in. We have been informed verbally by the Bathurst office of the PWD that: the pipeline in the vicinity of CLA192 is mostly cast iron and in poor condition; I the line has mechanical couplings; . the whole Fish River pipeline is presently under review; it may be I replaced by a new line or by an alternative supply system The pipeline is buried, probably at a depth of between 0.5m and im. It is I assumed that the backfill is in intimate contact with the pipe and that slip between steel/cast iron and backfill could occur at a limiting value of about 15 kPa. Thus, for a 250mm diameter line the total shear force I generated per metre of line would be about 9.5 kN. In view of the description of the line and anticipated subsidence strains and displacements, we have to conclude that the line is likely to be I disrupted as a result of longwall extraction. It would be possible to replace the section of line above the workings with I a welded steel line designed to cope with anticipated subsidence effects. This line would be above ground so as to "average out" areas of high tensile strain and discontinuous subsidence (cracking). Maintenance work I on this line would be required during and following undermining. I I I (Ioffey Par1ne s Ii Lw auona S9109/1-A1) I 21st August 1989 6. I .... 4.1.2 Buildings I We are aware of at least one homestead type structure above the proposed workings (see Photograph 1). The building appears to be an ordinary residential type of structure, probably brick veneer. No foundation I details are available. The house is at about RL 860m. The Lithgow Seam beneath the house is at about RL 828m. The house is above the area of continuous miner workings. Therefore it will be a relatively simple matter to control the degree of extraction in a barrier zone beneath the house. I No normal residential dwelling could tolerate the 1.2m to 1.8m of subsidence which would occur with full extraction. Under such conditions it would be reasonable to expect major damage of the house. It would I either have to be rebuilt or a replacement house built outside the mining area. If the percentage extraction in a barrier zone beneath the house was I limited to the value defined by the Regulations for first workings, surface subsidence should be less than about 150m. These settlements and associated surface strains could probably be tolerated by the house, with I minor damage. The only way of being absolutely sure of not damaging the house would be to I leave a barrier pillar of unmined coal defined by a draw angle of 35 degrees from the perimeter of the house. 1 4.1.3 Cliff Lines The area marked A on Figure 1 contains the only length of significant cliff line development within CLA192 that might be affected by mining. Portions I of these cliffs are shown on Photographs 2 and 3. With the mine plan shown on Figure 1 it can be seen that retreating longwall faces would pass beneath the cliff lines. I Section CC shows that the cover at the base of the talus slopes (at Baal Bone Creek, approximately RL 880m) would be about 70m. The cliff tops are at about RL 1000m, giving a total cover of about 190m. I Total subsidence along the toe of the hillside is likely to be about 1.5m, whereas beneath the high ground it should be slightly less, probably about I im to 1.2m. As can be seen in Photographs 2 and 3 the cliff lines are composed of a series of 'sentinel' blocks, being separated from one another by slots I formed by weathering along vertical joints. These joints are clearly visible on aerial photographs. They are oriented about 10 to 15 degrees west of north and appear to have continuity of several hundred metres. I These joints are therefore close to the direction of the longwall faces for the possible mine plan shown in Figure 1. I I I CoUey Paoeis International Ply Ltd I S9109/1-A1) 21st August 1989 7. I A second set of joints, approximately at right angles to the main set described above, appears to have defined the front faces of the cliffs (see Photographs 2 and 3). This second set is therefore almost parallel to the edges of the longwall panels in the mine plan shown on Figure 1. Based on the geometry of the natural cliffs and the dominant jointing and possible mining directions, it is concluded that mining is likely to cause opening and closing of both dominant joint systems. Movements on the NNW- I SSE joints are unlikely to lead to cliff falls. However, joint opening and blockrotation associated with the WSW-ENE set could lead to slab failures and partial collapse of some of the "sentinels" forming the cliff line (Reference 2). It is possible that the longwalls in the vicinity of Area A would be terminated outside the cliff line as shown on Figure I. In this way there S is no chance of accelerating the natural cliff line retreat process which is an ongoing process on the geological time scale. I 4.1.4 Surface Hydrology Strata above longwall panels (goaf) are likely to be disrupted for a height I of 10 to 20 times mining thickness. For the Baal Bone situation this suggests a height of 20m to 40m. Above this height the strata will tend to deflect and sag rather than break up into blocks. The presence of a thick claystone band above the coal seam will promote strata deflection rather I than dislocation into discrete blocks. Within the goaf there is likely to be a substantial increase in mass I permeability. However, above the goaf, permeability changes will be confined to joints which are opened or to new cracks formed along the edges of the panels and parallel to the retreating face. As pointed out in Section 3.1 it is almost certain that discrete subsidence cracks will be formed in the River Flat Area. Such cracks are usually not ' continuous features extending from workings through to surface. They usually step up through the major beds of sandstone, conglomerate and siltstone, somewhat as illustrated in Figure 3. This means they are not open conduits for the inflow of surface water, unless there is very low I cover. From quite extensive reviews conducted by this Company for: I enquiry into mining under stored waters, NSW . design for Newcastle graving dock, NSW I compensation hearings for Gordonstone Mine, Qid it is considered that the following general classification system may be I adopted for rock mass permeability changes above longwall workings I U I 21st August 1989 8. I Overburden Cover <30m I Cracks likely to be generated with direct continuity between surface and workings. Such cracks intersecting surface water courses or storages are likely to result in substantial drainage of water into I the workings. Temporary capture of ephemeral streams is likely. Overburden Cover 30m to lOOm Cracks likely to step across bedding horizons and therefore not afford a single open leakage path from the surface through to the workings. Leakage from surface storages and temporary stream capture is I possible. However, provided there is some alluvial cover it is likely that surface cracks will collapse and clog quite rapidly, leading to I the return of normal stream flows. Overburden Cover >lOOm Surface strains are likely to be less than about 10mm/rn and there is I little danger of stream capture and complete drainage of small surface storages. I In the light of the above classification system it must be concluded that temporary stream capture of Baal Bone Creek, or its larger tributaries, is possible. However, the River Flat area appears to be covered with clayey I sand slopewash and alluvial soils which are likely to result in clogging and sealing of surface cracks. Thus, stream capture should only be short term. The natural sealing process could be accelerated by using earthmoving equipment to break up and seal subsidence induced surface I cracks. When the final mine plan is established it will be important to produce a I contour plan of the predicted final surface topography in the River Flat area. This plan may be used to assess areas of potential swamp formation arising out of new local depressions in the surface topography. If I considered necessary, earthworks could be undertaken to pre-drain such swamp areas. I COFFEY PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL PTY. LTD. I REFERENCES 1. Calvin J.M. "Surface Subsidence Mechanisms - Theor and Practice Part I 2 - Subsidence Mechanisms in Practice", The Coal Journal No. 17, 1987 2, Pells P.J.N., Braybrooke J.C., Mong J. and Kotze G.P. Cliff Line Collapse Associated with Mining Activities in Soil Slope Instability I and Stabilisation', Balkema, 1987 I IMPORTANT INFORMATiON I ABOUT YOUR E GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING REPORT More construction problems are caused by site subsur- technical engineers who then render an opinion about [1 face conditions than any other factor As troublesome as overall subsurface conditions, their likely reaction to subsurface problems can be, their frequency and extent proposed construction activity, and appropriate founda- have been lessened considerably in recent years, due in tion design. Even under optimal circumstances actual large measure to programs and publications of ASFE/ conditions may differ from those inferred to exist, LI The Association of Engineering Firms Practicing in because no geotechnical engineer, no matter how the Geosciences qualified, and no subsurface exploration program, no matter how comprehensive, can reveal what is hidden by The following suggestions and observations are offered earth, rock arid time. The actual interface between mate- to help you reduce the geotechnical-related delays, rials may be more gradual or abrupt than a report cost-overruns and other costly headaches that can indicates. Actual conditions in areas not sampled may occur during a construction project. differ from predictions. Nothing can.be done to prevent the unanticipated, hut steos can be taken to help minimize their I impact. For this reason most experienced owners retain their A GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERiNG geotechnical consultants through the construction stage, to iden- REPORT IS BASED ON A UNIQUE SET tify 'variances, conduct additional tests which may be LI OF PROJECT-SPECIFIC FACTORS needed, and to recommend solutions to problems encountered on site. A geotechnical engineering report is based on a subsur- face exploration plan designed to incorporate a unique SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS I set of project-specific factors. These typically include: the general nature of the structure involved, its size and CAN CHANGE configuration; the location of the structure on the site Subsurface conditions may be modified by constantly- and its orientation; physical concomitants such as changing natural forces. Because a geotechnical engi- I access roads, parking lots, and underground utilities, neering report is based on conditions which existed at and the level of additional risk which the client assumed the time of subsurface exploration, construction decisions by virtue of limitations imposed upon the exploratory should not be based on a geotechnical engineering report whose program. To help avoid costly problems, consult the I adequacu may have been affected by time. Speak with the geo- geotechnical engineer to determine how any factors technical consultant to learn if additional tests are which change subsequent to the date of the report may advisable before construction starts. affect its recommendations. Construction operations at or adjacent to the site and I Unless your consulting geotechnical engineer indicates natural events such as floods, earthquakes or ground- otherwise, your geotechnical engineering report should not water fluctuations may also affect subsurface conditions be used; and, thus, the continuing adequacy of a geotechnical When the nature of the proposed structure is I report. The geotechnical engineer should be kept changed, for example, if an office building will be apprised of any such events, and should be consulted to erected instead of a parking garage. or if a ref riger- determine ii additional tests are necessary. ated warehouse will be built instead of an unre- I frigerated one; when the size or configuration of the proposed GEOTECHNICAL SERVICES ARE structure is altered; PERFORMED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES nU when the location or orientation of the proposed structure is modified; AND PERSONS when there is a change of ownership. or Ceotechnical engineers' reOorts are prepared to meet for application to an adjacent site. the specific needs of specific individuals. A report pre- I Geotechnical engineers cannot accept responsibility for problems pared for a consulting civil engineer may not be ade- quate for a construction contractor, or even some other which may develop if they are not consulted after factors consid- ered in their report's development have changed. consulting civtl engineer. Unless indicated otherwise, this report was prepared expressly for the client involved I arid expressly for purposes indicated by the client. Use MOST GEOTECHNICAL "FINDINGS" by any other persons for any purpose, or by the client No indi- ARE PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATES for a different purpose, may result in problems. I vidual other than the client should apply this rerort for its Site exploration identifies actual subsurface conditions intended purpose without first conferring with the qeotechnical only at those points where samples are taken, when engineer. No person should apply this report for any purpose they are taken. Data derived through sampling and sub- other than that originally contemplated without iirst conferring F sequent laboratory testing are extrapolated by geo- with the geotechnical engineer I Reprinted by Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd 1989 I I A GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING der the rvdstaken impression that simply disdaiming re- REPORT IS SUBJECT TO sponsibility for the accuracy of subsurface information always insulates them from attendant liability. Providing I MISINTERPRETATION the best available information to contractors helps pre- vent costly construction problems and the adversarial Costly problems can occur when other design profes- attitudes which aggravate them to disproportionate sionals develop their plans based on misinterpretations of a geotechnical engineering report. To help avoid scale. I these problems, the geotechnical engineer should be retained to work with other appropriate design profes- READ RESPONSIBILITY sionals to explain relevant geotechnical findings and to CLAUSES CLOSELY I review the adequacy of their plans and specifications relative to geotechnical issues. Because geotechnical engineering is based extensively on judgment and opinion, it is far less exact than other design disciplines. This situation has resulted in wholly unwarranted daims being lodged against geotechnical 1 consultants. To help prevent this problem, geotechnical BORING LOGS SHOULD NOT BE engineers have developed model dauses for use in writ- SEPARATED FROM THE ten transmittals. These are not exculpatory dauses I ENGINEERING REPORT * designed to foist geotechnical engineers' liabilities onto someone else. Rather, they are definitive clauses which Final boring logs are developed by geotechnical engi- identify where geotechnical engineers' responsibilities neers based upon their interpretation of field logs begin and end. Their use helps all parties involved rec- I (assembled by site personnel) and laboratory evaluation ognize their individual responsibilities and take appro- of field samples. Only final boring logs customarily are priate action. Some of these definitive dauses are likely included in geotechnical engineering reports. These logs to appear in your geotechnical engineering report, and should not under any circuni stances be redrawn for inclusion in you are encouraged to read them dosely Your geo- I architectural or other design drawings, because drafters technical engineer will be pleased to give full and frank may commit errors or omissions in the transfer process. answers to your questions. Although photographic reproduction eliminates this I problem, it does nothing to minimize the possibility of contractors misinterpreting the logs during bid prepara- OTHER STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO tion. When this occurs, delays, disputes and unantici- REDUCE RISK pated costs are the all-too-frequent result. Your consulting geotechnical engineer will be pleased to I To minimize the likelihood of boring log misinterpreta- discuss other techniques which can be employed to mit- tion, give contractors ready access to the coniplete geotechnical igate risk. In addition, ASFE has developed a variety of engineering report prepared or authorized for their use. materials which may be beneficial. Contact ASFE for a I Those who do not provide such access may proceed un- complimentary copy of its publications directory. I * For further information on this aspect reference should be made to "Guidelines for the Provision of Geotechnical Information in Construction Contracts" I published by The Institution of Engineers Australia, National Headquarters, Canberra, 1987. I I I Published by THE ASSOCIATION I OF ENGINEERING FIRMS FEPRACTICING IN THE GEOSCIENCES 8811 ColesviIle Road/Suite G'i06/Silver Spring, Maryland 20910/(301) 565-2733 1 Reprinted by Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd 1989 07883M I Lotte Pa it els ii tei ati on a Fly Ltd I S9109/ 1-AC V#'FJA 15th August 1989 I I I I I I I I I I I I Photograph I; Homestead in River Flat area I I I I 1 I ------ Photograph 2: Cliff line, Area A north of Baal Bone Creek cn uo rt UC) - rt 'C rL Photograph 3: Cliff line, Area A north of Baal Bone Creek I otIey tajr ;Py Lk S9109/1-AC I 15th August 1989 I I I I I I I I I I Photograph 4: Small pond probably created by old surface workings, I western edge of A175 I I I I I I I N N I / Al I / L TARPAN/ I I I 97 I 77 I \4 STE \j i 8 I 25 / N I GAWINERS HiLL T J I c THS HILL -135 rPJolfarm Racl I e 21 HOUSE I CONTiNUOUS MINER PANELS— Coal - -. WNGWALL I Dp I PANE - \ - t S.. : WO I 1 090 I Mg Pperzs . ACCESS FROM EXISTING I LEGEND / 7 UNDERGROUND WORKINGS JJ CLIP LINE II I 7 /f I n - Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd Consulting Engineers in the geotechnical sciences drawn PJNP/SW WALLERAWANG COWERLES LIMITED I approved BAAL BONE COWERY COFFEY FIGURE I date AREA 192 PLAN OF POSSIBLE MINING scale 125000 I M job no S 9109/I ------ a o a a 77 - RL 1000 o 8 ----D -COAL SEAM -. -' SECTION A-A r 0 P1 - W CD '3wG) P10 o m R.L.00O r zwor —o a P1 CJ) COAL SEAM SECTION B - B 1, R.L. IODO MOM_ - COAL SEAM SECTION C - C Cl) c ID xi oCD N) WALLERAWANG COLLIERIES LTD EIS 46 Ba1 Bone colliery I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I HEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF SUBSIDENCE CRACKING IN AREA OF SHALLOW COVER I I I I NOT TO SCALE Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd co...iting Engiers in the geotechaical sciences dravn RJNP/ DO WALLERAWANG COLLIERIES UMITED I approved BAAL BONE COLLIERY AREA 192 COFFEY FIGURE 3 date SCHEMATIC CRACKING ABOVE scale NTS LONGWALL PANEL I job no: S 9109/I I I I I I L I I I WALLERAWANG COLLIERIES LTD EiS I 746 Baal Bone colliery I I [1 I I I I I I I