South32 has submitted a revised plan for the Dendrobium mine extension which slashes the area set for longwall planning by 56 per cent, the miner said, while reducing the impact on the drinking water catchment, and extending the mine's life for seven years fewer.
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Fresh from the weekend's news that the state's Planning Minister Rob Stokes had designated the mine State Significant Infrastructure, the revised plan seeks to allay the concerns which caused the Independent Planning Commission to reject the Dendrobium expansion in February.
The IPC found that significant subsidence from mining could have unacceptable impacts on the water catchment above.
According to South32's scoping study submitted to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, the new plan would reduce the predicted damage to the drinking water catchment, with a 60 per cent reduction in surface water losses compared to the previous application, and no predicted connectivity between the surface and coal seam.
Connectivity is when cracking extends all the way from the streams or swamps above to the mines coal seam below ground, and increases water loss significantly.
The plan would also reduce the mine's impact on Aboriginal heritage areas, with six sites to be directly undermined, compared with 22 previously. Mining under a site of "high archaeological significance" would be removed.,
"The project involves similar, but reduced, development activities relative to the previous application," South32's scoping study says.
"The project would extend the life of the Dendrobium Mine to 2041, which would allow the potential for the receipt of Appin Mine ... coal at the Dendrobium coal preparation plant, if required, to continue to the end of the currently approved Appin Mine life (i.e. 2041)."
The ministerial declaration on the weekend has in effect sent the project back to the drawing board - but with the Planning Minister as the consent authority. South32 must now prepared a detailed Environmental Impact Statement for exhibition and assessment.
"While this is a positive step, there is more work to be done including submitting a detailed Environmental Impact Statement to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment," a South32 spokesman said.
"It is important to note that any project decision is subject to South32 board approval.
"The revised mine plan considers the IPC's feedback and minimises environmental impacts while enabling the continuation of mining activities at the Dendrobium mine and continuing to provide a significant contribution to the Illawarra and New South Wales economies.
"We have been operating in the Illawarra and MacArthur region for 85 years producing metallurgical coal for steel making.
"We believe that with careful planning mining can coexist with the sustainable development of the state's resources."