Environment

Macarthur Coal is committed to implementing environmental management programs across all mines sites, offices and tenements, having regard to leading practice environmental management practices. The Environment Policy outlines our commitment to maintaining the environmental values of the areas in which we operate.



Environment Policy

Consistent with our Sustainability Statement of Intent, Macarthur Coal’s Environment Policy sets out our environmental objectives, being to operate at all times in compliance with all environmental legislative requirements, and to maintain the health and diversity of the natural environments in which we operate.

pdf Sustainability Statement of Intent.pdf (106KB)

pdf Environment Policy.pdf (187KB)

 

Through the development and implementation of an ISO14001 compliant Environmental Management System, we seek to:

  • progressively rehabilitate disturbance caused by our operations
  • manage our water resources in accordance with environmental requirements
  • seek to prevent or minimise waste, and any harmful emissions to air, water or land
  • identify and manage environmental risk to as low as reasonably practical
  • aim to continually improve our performance by setting realistic objectives and targets, and auditing against their achievement, and
  • appropriately train relevant employees and contractors to understand and manage their environmental responsibilities.



Compliance and Governance

Mining operations at our Coppabella, Moorvale and Middlemount mines are carried out in accordance the site Environment Authority (EA), developed and approved by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). The EA integrates commitments made in the initial environmental baseline and approval documents, and is updated as required to meet changing legislation and site specific conditions.

Site specific Annual Returns, Plan of Operations and Environmental Management Plans, are all developed and submitted to DERM as required to demonstrate our compliance with the EA.

Macarthur Coal has responsibility for ensuring that all employees and contractors install, maintain and operate plant and equipment and take all necessary measures to ensure compliance with the conditions of the EA and all relevant legislation and standards..

Macarthur Coal’s commitment to the environment is confirmed through the resources dedicated to managing these impacts. The GM Health Safety and Environment and the Environment Manager oversee the environmental management systems and compliance at a corporate level, while the on-site Environmental Superintendent, supported by Environmental Officers, are engaged to manage day-to-day environmental matters, including monitoring environmental impacts and ensuring compliance with the EA.

Macarthur Coal completes regular internal and external environmental reporting. A written environmental report and one-page environmental “snap shot” are completed on a monthly basis by all operations and presented to the Board. Progressive actions on significant environmental activities are reported and tracking of results against KPI’s are provided.

External reporting includes the regulatory requirements for DERM, along with reporting commitments for the National Pollutant Inventory and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting.



Energy Efficiency Opportunities Report

pdf Macarthur Coal Energy Efficiency Opportunities Report 2010.pdf (267KB)

pdf Macarthur Coal Energy Efficiency Opportunities Report 2011.pdf (290KB)



Water Management

Detailed Water Management Plans, including water balances, sediment control plans, water quality monitoring locations and criteria, water release conditions and the design capacity of water storages, are developed for all sites as part of the EA requirements and are submitted to DERM for approval.

The aim of the Water Management Plan is to:

  • minimise clean water runoff onto the site
  • prevent the non-compliant release of mine affected water
  • maximise mine affected water re-use within the site
  • minimise raw water importation and usage on the site
  • maintain compliance with all application legislation and standards

The Water Management Plans are regularly reviewed and updated to take into account changing environmental and operating conditions.



Dialogue with Local Community and Traditional Owners

Maintaining open communication and consultation with local communities and stakeholders continues to be a priority for Macarthur Coal. A structured approach to neighbour and stakeholder communications is planned, with regular landholder meetings and site visits undertaken. Macarthur Coal realises the importance of building and maintaining strong local relationships.

Macarthur Coal also aims to develop and maintain long term working relationships with all Traditional Owner groups associated with its operations. Cultural Heritage Management Plans are in place for all existing operations, with agreed processes for managing Indigenous cultural heritage values in accordance with the Traditional Owners.



Rehabilitation

Macarthur Coal’s commitment to sustainable growth includes a commitment to progressively rehabilitate disturbance caused by our operations. Successful rehabilitation results in a return of mined land to an agreed land use capability, that subsequently minimises erosion, improves water runoff quality and provides diversity in the mining landscape.

As a general approach, rehabilitation involves the shaping of out of pit dumps, contouring slopes to a 1:7 (approx 14° angle) batter and building contour and drainage structures to help prevent rainfall runoff from eroding rehabilitated areas. Machinery replaces the topsoil which was previously set aside before the area was mined. The area is then revegetated with appropriate tree and grass seed, fertiliser and mulch. Revegetation activities are usually carried out just prior to the wet season to maximise the growth of the seeds. Local species of trees and grasses are used in the process wherever possible to minimise weeds and to suit the end of mine land use.

Macarthur Coal will continually seek to optimise the success of rehabilitation activities towards the agreed final land use. With the approval of DERM, we may explore and utilise alternate rehabilitation methods to the general approach discussed above, if they are assessed as likely to provide a more sustainable and environmentally robust outcome.



Waste management

Macarthur Coal’s operations focus on waste avoidance, reduction, recycling and disposal. This compliance with the Environment Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000 waste hierarchy principles, helps the business avoid direct or indirect impacts on the health of the communities and ecologies surrounding Macarthur Coal’s mine sites.

The site Waste Management Plans are approved by DERM and include provisions for the ongoing monitoring and minimisation of our wastes. There are currently no landfills on any Macarthur Coal sites, with all waste from mining operations removed by a registered contractor who recycles as many waste products as possible, and disposes of the remainder at an appropriately licenced facility. Our corporate office has implemented re-use and recycle programmes for materials such as paper and ink cartridges.



Exploration activities

Macarthur Coal’s exploration activities involve a variety of tenements with unique environmental and cultural circumstances. Exploration activities are undertaken in continuous consultation with a variety of stakeholders.

Cultural Heritage Party’s (CHPs) are one of the key stakeholders involved in the exploration process. Appropriate CHPs are notified of exploration activities and where required undertake cultural heritage inspections before the commencement of activities.

All exploration tenements are regulated by a tenement specific Environmental Authority. Exploration activities are managed and conducted in accordance with the EA to ensure minimal environmental harm occurs as a result of the activities. Once all required geological data has been gathered from a drill hole it is plugged and capped. The site of the drill hole is then backfilled and levelled. Rehabilitation of drill sites and traverses are monitored and, where necessary, reseeded to the landowners satisfaction. This process helps minimise damage to the local ecosystems and also reduces disturbance for landowners.



Clean coal

The drive to increase research and development into clean coal technology and sustainable production has grown during recent years. There have been with major funding announcements from the federal and Queensland governments, as well as the coal mining industry.

In 2006, the federal government announced a $500 million Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund to support the commercial demonstration of technologies that have the potential to deliver large-scale greenhouse gas emission reductions in the mining sector.

The Queensland Government has created a Clean Coal Technology Board to foster development and investment in clean coal technologies. They have also earmarked $300 million from the Queensland Future Growth Fund to develop new clean coal technologies.

Macarthur Coal supports the development of clean coal technology and is involved in both the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) and COAL21.



Australian Coal Association Research Program

ACARP's mission is to research, develop and demonstrate technologies that lead to the safe, sustainable production and use of coal. Australian black coal producers, including Macarthur Coal, contribute five cents per tonne of coal sold towards research undertaken by ACARP.

Key research areas are greenhouse gas mitigation, occupational health and safety, the environment and rehabilitation of mined land, community concerns and land access, cost of production, and technical support for marketing Australian coals.

Macarthur Coal is currently participating in an ACARP study to determine best practice for water and mine management in northern Bowen Basin coal mines.

More information about ACARP can be found at www.acarp.com.au



Coal21

Macarthur Coal is a participant in COAL21, an initiative of the Australian Coal Association aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions arising from the use of coal in electricity generation in Australia. It is a collaborative, consensus-building program involving participants from federal and state government, the coal and electricity industries, and research organisations.

In 2003, the Australian Coal Association (ACA) brought together representatives from the coal and electricity industries, unions, federal and state governments and the research community, to form the COAL21 partnership. The COAL21 Action Plan, launched in 2004, aims to accelerate the demonstration and deployment of clean coal technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-based electricity generation.

In 2006 the ACA announced the establishment of the COAL21 Fund as part of a world-first whole-of-industry funding approach to support greenhouse gas abatement. The COAL21 Fund is raising over $1 billion over 10 years from a voluntary levy on coal production to support the pre-commercial demonstration of low emissions technologies in the power generation sector (where over 95 per cent of emissions from coal occur) and supporting research and development. This initiative complements the Australian Government's $500 million Low Emissions Coal Fund and $500 million Low Emission Technology Demonstration Fund.

The Australian black coal mining industry, including Macarthur Coal, will provide up to $300 million to work with the electricity generation industry to develop promising technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power stations.

More information on COAL21 can be found at www.australiancoal.com.au


The objectives of COAL21 are to:

  • create a national plan to scope, develop, demonstrate and implement near zero emissions coal-based electricity generation that will achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over time while maintaining Australia's low cost electricity advantage.
  • use the plan to inform governments and industry as an input to policy development
  • facilitate the demonstration, commercialisation and early uptake of technologies identified in the plan.
  • promote relevant Australian research development and demonstration (RD&D) so that it can both build upon and make a unique contribution to international RD&D in the area.
  • foster greater public awareness of the role of coal and the potential for near zero emissions coal-based electricity generation to significantly reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts associated with its use.
  • provide a mechanism for effective interaction and integration with other international zero emission coal initiatives.