West Muswellbrook Project Gateway Application Supporting Document
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West Muswellbrook Project Gateway Application Supporting Document Pursuant to Part 4AA of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 WEST MUSWELLBROOK PROJECT GATEWAY APPLICATION SUPPORTING DOCUMENT IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS REPORT DOCUMENT CONTROL Report for client Muswellbrook Coal Company Limited Attention of Mr Paul Martinkus Date 10 December 2014 Document number IDEM0523.1 Version D Authored by Mr Terry Short Peer review by Dr Jan Green (Idemitsu Australia Resources) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS REPORT IS COPYRIGHT The author wishes to thank the landholders who © La Tierra Pty Limited and Muswellbrook Coal engaged with him in preparing this report. The Company Limited, 2014. contributions of Ms Tiffany Thomson and Ms Bronwen This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted Morrison of La Tierra, AGE and SLR consultants, and under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be also Ms Ronda Comber, are gratefully acknowledged. reproduced by any process without prior written SUGGESTED CITATION permission from La Tierra Pty Limited and This report should be cited as follows. Muswellbrook Coal Company Limited. Short, T. (2014) West Muswellbrook Project, Gateway ABOUT LA TIERRA Application, Supporting Document. A report prepared for La Tierra Pty Limited is an independent team of Muswellbrook Coal Company Limited by La Tierra Pty professional consultants who provide expert objective Limited, Brisbane, 10 December 2014. scientific and engineering advice about management of DISCLAIMER the Earth's natural resources. This report has been prepared in accordance with the brief provided by the Client and has relied upon the We focus our consulting expertise on key areas of information collected at or under the times and corporate strategic and operational risk in natural conditions specified herein. All findings, conclusions or resource management. We execute our services in due recommendations contained within the report are based diligence programmes, impact assessments, audits and only on the aforementioned circumstances. The report reviews, technical consulting and scientific report is for the use of the Client only and La Tierra Pty Limited writing. will take no responsibility for its use by other parties. We work for resource and agricultural companies, INFORMATION SOURCES AND REFERENCING governments, investment institutions, industry This report was derived from an extensive range of associations and other organisations throughout the information sources including interviews and literature Asia Pacific region and beyond. review. Much of the cited literature is available via the CONTACT LA TIERRA Internet. The authors have sought to ensure that La Tierra Pty Limited sources for their use of text, figures, diagrams and Ground Floor, Wickham House images are provided in text, footnotes or references. If 155-157 Wickham Terrace inadvertently the authors have failed to adequately Brisbane Queensland 4000 Australia acknowledge a source of material used they would e [email protected] | w latierra.com.au appreciate prompt notification so the matter can be OUR SUSTAINABILITY corrected in the electronic copy of the document and a If supplied in hardcopy by La Tierra Pty Limited, full acknowledgement provided. this report has been printed on certified carbon neutral and 100% recycled paper using only vegetable based inks. la tierra the earth PAGE 2 of 106 WEST MUSWELLBROOK PROJECT GATEWAY APPLICATION SUPPORTING DOCUMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 3! LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 6! LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................ 7! LIST OF PLATES .................................................................................................................................................. 8! ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 8! EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 10! 1! INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 15! 1.1! Purpose of this report .......................................................................................................................... 15! 1.1.1! Report structure ................................................................................................................................ 16! 1.1.2! Addressing the relevant criteria ....................................................................................................... 18! 1.1.3! Complying with the Guideline for Gateway Applicants ..................................................................... 18! 1.2! Project description ............................................................................................................................... 21! 1.2.1! General arrangement ........................................................................................................................ 23! 1.2.2! Open cut pit layout ............................................................................................................................. 25! 1.2.3! Mining infrastructure area layout ..................................................................................................... 25! 1.2.4! CHPP .................................................................................................................................................. 25! 1.2.5! Mine waste ......................................................................................................................................... 30! 1.2.6! Personnel requirements ................................................................................................................... 30! 1.2.7! Water management ........................................................................................................................... 30! 1.2.8! Power supply ..................................................................................................................................... 30! 1.2.9! Sewage treatment ............................................................................................................................. 30! 1.2.10! Transport and logistics ...................................................................................................................... 31! 1.2.11! Rehabilitation ..................................................................................................................................... 31! 1.3! Project alternatives .............................................................................................................................. 31! 1.3.1! Mining method ................................................................................................................................... 31! 1.3.2! Out of pit waste rock disposal ........................................................................................................... 32! 1.3.3! Coal handling and processing ........................................................................................................... 32! 1.4! Project assessment area (PAA) ........................................................................................................... 32! 2! REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 33! 2.1! Upper Hunter region ............................................................................................................................ 33! 2.2! History of agricultural development .................................................................................................... 33! 2.2.1! Beef, grain and dairy ......................................................................................................................... 35! 2.2.2! Equine ................................................................................................................................................ 36! 2.2.3! Viticulture .......................................................................................................................................... 38! 2.3! Key agricultural infrastructure ............................................................................................................ 38! 2.3.1! Transport Routes ............................................................................................................................... 39! la tierra the earth PAGE 3 of 106 WEST MUSWELLBROOK PROJECT GATEWAY APPLICATION SUPPORTING DOCUMENT 2.4! Natural resources ................................................................................................................................ 40! 2.4.1! Geology and geomorphology ............................................................................................................. 40! 2.4.2! Topography .......................................................................................................................................