An air quality meeting in Muswellbrook on Tuesday night, attended by just over a dozen people, heard the industry has made significant changes to its operations since the rumble of community concerns about air quality rose to a public outcry.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Among the speakers was Peter Forbes, Safety, Health and Environment Manager at Drayton Coal.
Mr Forbes said strategic actions to reduce dust included stopping mining operations altogether, a situation that didn’t arise a decade ago.
He said he isn’t concerned about the penalty processes now in place from government agencies and said it kept the industry on its toes.
Drayton's Peter Forbes also told the meeting initiatives to reduce the impact on air quality of Drayton's mine operations include:
· aerial seeding;
· interim coverage of spoil dumps and disturbed areas;
· the use of low sulphur diesel fuels;
· the use of predictory weather modelling;
· monitoring when planning mine operations;
· real-time dust monitoring;
· actions to reduce dust within the mine site;
· water spraying of coal wagons;
· better understanding of dust emissions; and
· more strategic management of blasts.
“There is better operational awareness, reactions and proactions on the site, we see less observable dust issues on site and in the longer term, I believe we will see a reduction in dust concerns,” Mr Forbes said.
Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Hunter Region manager, Adam Gilligan, told the meeting the ultimate goal was to introduce a set of benchmarks to ensure each and every mine in the Upper Hunter implemented best practice and suggested it was a matter of every mine and every miner to take action.
The EPA revealed its Pollution Reduction Programs include:
Wheel Generated Dust – This program started in August and mines now have 80 per cent control of wheel generated dust, some mines have figures as high as 90 per cent. Mine management will be held to this target and asked to identify what is possible to hold to these figures.
Adverse Weather – Looks at the triggers that determine a change or cessation of mine operations. Each mine has a different trigger and EPA is looking at standardisation of triggers and reactions across the industry.
Digger and Dumping Actions – Meeting with industry later this month to talk about the implementation of more water carts at mine sites.
Land Exposure Identification – Each mine has been asked to report what land is exposed and not rehabilitated, more could be done in the way of aerial spraying. Mines asked to report back to EPA by early next year.
Blast Fume – Look at the mine requirements and refine so it is clearer to allow the EPA to take suitable and appropriate action when there is a breach.
The EPA has also employed a Dust Buster Team whose sole role is to look at the issues of dust.
The Environment Protection Authority is in the process of analysing the audit of 11 mine sites and four coal loaders in relation to dust emissions during the rail transportation of coal.
Officers investigated the loss of coal in transport, residual coal blown from empty coal wagons, issues relating to poorly maintained wagons.
Environment Protection Authority Hunter Region Manager, Adam Gilligan, said he hoped to get to a point where a set of benchmarks around these activities are put in place.
“We will see more about that in the next months ahead,” he told Tuesday’s air quality meeting.
All reports delivered at Tuesday's Muswellbrook meeting can be found at: www.miningdialogue.com.au