EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Moolarben Coal Complex – UG1 Optimisation Modification
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Moolarben Coal Complex UG1 Optimisation Modification Environmental Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Moolarben Coal Complex – UG1 Optimisation Modification EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As such, the UG1 Optimisation Modification proposes the following (Figure ES-2): ES1 BACKGROUND • recovery of approximately 3.7 million tonnes of additional run-of-mine (ROM) coal over the life The Moolarben Coal Complex is located of the mine; approximately 40 kilometres north of Mudgee in the • an extension of UG1 longwall panels in the Western Coalfields of New South Wales (NSW) north-east by approximately 150 to (Figure ES-1). 500 metres (m); Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd (MCO) is the • an extension of two UG1 longwall panels in the operator of the Moolarben Coal Complex on behalf south-west by approximately 75 m; of the Moolarben Joint Venture (Moolarben Coal • relocation of the approved UG1 central main Mines Pty Ltd, Sojitz Moolarben Resources Pty Ltd headings to the north-east; and a consortium of Korean power companies). MCO and Moolarben Coal Mines Pty Ltd are wholly • relocation of underground access to UG2 and owned subsidiaries of Yancoal Australia Limited. UG4; • longwall extraction of the portion of coal that The Moolarben Coal Complex comprises four forms the approved (central) main headings; approved open cut mining areas (OC1 to OC4), • three approved underground mining areas (UG1, an increase in the coal seam extraction height UG2 and UG4) and other mining related by approximately 300 millimetres to a infrastructure (including coal processing and maximum extraction thickness of 3.5 m; transport facilities). • an increase to longwall panel void width from approximately 305 to 311 m; Mining operations at the Moolarben Coal Complex • construction of a ROM coal conveyor are currently approved until 31 December 2038 in (including crushing and screening station and accordance with Project Approval (05_0117) transfer points) between the UG1 pit top (Moolarben Coal Project Stage 1) as modified and facilities in OC1 and the coal handling and Project Approval (08_0135) (Moolarben Coal preparation plant to transport underground Project Stage 2). ROM coal; Environmental management and monitoring at the • extension to the underground product coal Moolarben Coal Complex is conducted in stockpile in the coal handling and preparation accordance with a range of management plans plant area and relocation and expansion of the required in accordance with Project Approvals underground ROM coal stockpile at the UG1 (05_0117) and (08_0135). pit top facilities; • an increase in the maximum underground ES2 MODIFICATION OVERVIEW ROM coal production rate up to 8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) from UG1, UG2 and This Environmental Assessment has been prepared UG4 (combined); by MCO to support a request to modify Project • Approvals (05_0117) and (08_0135) under an increase in the maximum total site ROM section 75W of the NSW Environmental Planning coal rate to 21 Mtpa (i.e. 13 Mtpa from open and Assessment Act, 1979 (the UG1 Optimisation cut operations and 8 Mtpa from underground Modification). operations); • an increase in average daily rail departures Following a review of mine planning, MCO has from five to seven and increase in peak daily identified opportunities to extract additional rail departures to nine; economically viable coal and improve mining and processing efficiencies associated with the • construction of Remote Services Facilities underground operations at the Moolarben Coal (including facilities and services necessary for Complex, namely UG1. the operation of an underground mine) and rear air intake shaft and associated fans above the extended UG1 longwall panels; and • relocation of the underground Mine Infrastructure Area and site administration offices. 00682128.DOCX ES-1 740000 760000 780000 " Durridgere WARRUMBUNGLE " State Conservation Area G Cainbil Uarbry OL Durridgere DE GO N LDEN SHIRE COUNCIL 9 UARBRY PINNACLE State Conservation Area HIG HWA Y " Ross Crossing HIG ER HW IV AY R 9 BLACK HILL Durridgere Turill COCKABUTTA State Conservation Area " HILL 9 d Durridgere a o R State Conservation Area UPPER HUNTER 6440000 6440000 SHIRE9 COUNCIL n la I U U R Comiala Flat K " 9 BOX HILL RN ULBU GO R I " V The Hulks Tongo E R State Forest Goulburn River Ulan Goulburn River National Park Cope Mine Complex National Park State Goulburn River Forest Creek ong National Park pinj Cope State Ulan Wil Moolarben Forest W Y ! Coal Complex A ad A k L o W e L R IL e Goulburn River E RA ROUND TOP r R G C A N MOUNTAIN r W LGO la LEES National Park A U 9 l N e G U o PINCH G op W la jong Cr C LLO n- Wilpin eek W 9 HO Wo S Y M ll AN 6420000 AND o ar D 6420000 S Cope State Forest DEXTER ola R Y rb Wilpinjong k o HO MOUNTAIN e e a LL n e d OW 9 Coal Mine r RIVER GULGONG C RN RAILWAY GOULBU MAGAZINE Munghorn GU LG W HILL 9 Gap Nature ON ol " 9 C Wollar G la o " r H C Reserve MOUNT FLIRTATION enr o y y r Meads Crossing MISERY HILL L e G a a e o 9 W w l " k b A s R Y Cooks Gap o B o m a A EG n d A u W W R d D C H a ri o G v o I l e R l H a R r MOUNT E STONY BETEALWEEN IV Munghorn PENNY PINCH Home Rule 9 MOUNTAIN R " 9 G W 9 n Gap Nature ay a N l B C a U O H re Reserve r L " G MAGPIE ek ig Y A a E HILL B Bylong R n Bylong AY C y LW E 9 ad GARRISON HILL e AI L o l R R r l G T State N e a O B 9 V Bylong LG S e U a G A " k W R O C r g Forest LL A i n O g o Y H BOX HILL I l Coal Project D L Cooyal a y AN W S 9 n B A Y 9 MOUNT GALAMBINE TAL TAL ve r ri a D ll MOUNTAIN 9 LOWES o 9 PEAK W R o a BALD Sto d ny HILL 6400000 Botobola 9 6400000 r G C OAKY MOUNTAIN R RED HILL n o r 9 O s Cre e 9 e MUDGEE e W w " Ro k k PORCUPINE a ad MOUNTAIN L Budgee Budgee BIG MOUNTAIN E RED HILL BOX HILL 9 CROSSWORD 9 OAKYS 9 E 9 9 MOUNT ROUND STORMY 9 HILL 9 MOUNT BALD y BUCKAROO 9 r MOUNT HILL n 9 e BARA DAVIDS H 9 MOUNTAIN 9 MID-WESTERN 9 BOMBIRA HILL Avisford Lue Nature FLIRTATION REGIONAL COUNCIL HILL Bowdens Reserve 9 MUDGEE La JIMMY COLLIERS MOUNT w Silver Project s JIMMY 9 HILL FROME W on MOUNT A s HAWKINS MOUNTAIN 9 9 LL Road Wollemi National Park MISERY ER PINNACLE 9 GROWEE AW Avisford A 9 MOUNTAIN 9 OZ MOUNTAIN N Cr 9 CANNIBAL Nature G eek HILL GWABEGAR LION 9 Reserve MOUNT MOUNTAIN 9 KNOWLES 9 ay W C U " 9 D ELEPHANT GOAT MOUNTAIN Lue 9R G MOUNTAIN Avisford E I G R V A O I E Nature N LW R G A Lu Reserve Y e MOUNT 6380000 BALD GRAHAM 6380000 MOUNTAIN 9 9 R I y C V e AS E R ll T R oa a L V SAILORS E d RE WHEELBARROW BLUFF A g PEAK G n MOUNTAIN H OAK HILL o 9 MOUNTAIN LEGEND 9 9 l y 9 9 MOUNT TONGBONG 9 B MARGARET MOUNTAIN 9 ST HELENA Mining Lease Boundary Dungeree RUMKERS PEAK BLUFF 9 DAIRY MOUNTAIN POINT 9POINTTOOMGO State HILL SPRING 9 MONKEYExploration Licence Boundary 9 TAYLORS 9 COXS 9 9 BOX HILL 9 Forest MOUNTAIN 9 99 HILL DOG TRAP HILL HILL CROWN GAMBO Local Government9 Boundary Lake HILL 9 THE NSW State9 Forest CASTLE Windamere BEARDYS MULLS 9 NationalHILL Park, Nature Reserve and State HILL RIVER 9 MOUNT 9 RED HILLConservation Area BOCOBLE HOPE MOUNT NG BRACE Nullo RIFLE MOUNTAIN 9 EGO MOUNT BROWN UDG 9 MOUNT RANGEMining Operation 9 C RYLSTONE CONOURURY Mountain 9 HILL H COOLCALWIN HILL IG 9 9 H State Forest W 9 d 0 29 4 6 8 10 A a Y o RAMS HEAD EAGLEHAWK R UG1 OPTIMISATION MODIFICATION HILL Cu WINDMILL MOUNTAIN d HILL 9 eg o d g 9 Kilometres n a n FIGURE ES-1 Wollemi g o o R l y B National Source: Geoscience Australia, 2006 and CARCALGONG Regional Location BOMBANDI MOUNTAIN KANDOS ParkTOWINHINGY PYRAMUL NSW TradeBOIGA & Investment, 2013 9 HILL 6360000HILL MOUNTAIN 9 Clandulla 6360000 9 9740000 760000 780000 State Forest 9 MOUNT MCM-14-05 UG1_OM_ES 201A 760000 UG4 ek re C Product Bypass Stockpile Extension ra Washed Coal Stockpile Bo CPP Mains Access to UG4 ULAN MINE COMPLEX Product Bypass Stockpile Transfer and Sizing Station Ula GOULBURN RIVER n-W olla CHPP and r R Infrastructure o a Mains Access to UG4 - Not Required d Remote Services Facilities S A N D Y H O L L Mine Infrastructure Area O W - G U ad L Ro G O an N Ul G Access Headings - North-East Mains R A IL W A Y 6425000 6425000 Revised North-East Mains Location ROM Coal Stockpile UG1 OC1 OC1 Highwall Access Mains Access to UG2 Approved Central Mains - Not Required M o o la r be n C r e e k OC4 Rear Air Intake Shaft and Fan LEGEND Up Catchment Diversion Water Infrastructure Existing Approved Stage 1 Open Cut Out-of-pit Emplacement Surface Infrastructure Area Longwall Mining Area Existing/Approved Stage 2 Open Cut Out-of-pit Emplacement Surface Infrastructure Area OC2 M u Longwall Mining Area r ra UG2 g Proposed UG1 Optimisation Modification a m b Underground Workings a C Overland Conveyor re ek Surface Infrastructure Area Proposed OC4 South-West Modification 6420000 6420000 Proposed OC4 South-West Haul Road Approved Stage 2 Haul Road - Not Required UG1 OPTIMISATION MODIFICATIONM 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 u r FIGURE ES-2 ra ga m Kilometres Proposed General Arrangement b a C Source: MCO,Proposed 2014 r 760000 ee Stage 1 ! k MCM-14-05 UG1_OM_ES 202B Moolarben Coal Complex – UG1 Optimisation Modification The UG1 Optimisation Modification also seeks an • Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment increase in the approved Moolarben Coal Complex (prepared by Niche Environment & Heritage); construction and operational workforces to • incorporate anticipated personnel for the approved Road Transport Assessment (prepared by underground and open cut operations.