Wilpinjong plans to boost production

Recently Peabody Energy submitted its Environmental Assessment of the proposal to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment. Public submissions on the Environmental Assessment close on July 18, 2014.

In the Environmental Assessment Peabody Energy states it is seeking higher rates of run-of-mine coal production “to achieve equivalent product coal targets”.

Should the modification be approved there is likely to be an additional 800,000 bank cubic metres of waste rock production. It will also “provide operational flexibility to maintain Wilpinjong Coal’s competitive advantage as a low cost thermal coal producer.”

The company said the modification would not change its current open cut and contained infrastructure areas; its mine life; its saleable coal transported from site (currently about 12.5 million tonnes per annum); and its operational workforce.

The Environmental Assessment also states potential environmental impacts of the modification “are largely restricted to”: offsite noise emissions associated with an augmented mobile fleet; and off-site air quality emissions associated with the increased rates of coal and waster rock production.

Peabody Energy admits spontaneous combustion events at the mine have been a recent source of community complaints but existing and proposed management measures “would see these spontaneous combustion high risk areas resolved by re-mining and deposition of the material in mine voids, or encapsulation, by the end of 2015.”

In 2013, a total of 138 complaints were received from 28 complainants at Wilpinjong Coal. The majority of complaints received were related to noise, blasting, odour/spontaneous combustion and dust.

The Environmental Assessment also said the modification “would not include any significant changes to the approved water management system at the site.”