Peabody Energy is seeking State Government approval to extend its Wilpinjong Mine, a project which would add seven years to the life of the mine and directly employ up to 625 people at peak periods.
Peabody has released a project summary and preliminary environmental assessment for the Wilpinjong Extension Project, which if approved will extend Peabody’s operations at Wilpinjong to 2033.
The proposal before the Department of Planning and Environment is for incremental extensions of the existing open cut pits over approximately 500 hectares and development of a new open cut pit of approximately 300 hectares at Slate Gully.
The project would increase production at Wilpinjong from 15 million tonnes a year of Run of Mine (ROM) coal to 16 million tonnes a year.
Infrastructure at the existing Wilpinjong mine would be used for handling, processing and transporting the coal.
Expanding the mine would require a section of the TransGrid Wollar to Wellington electricity mine to be relocated, and a section of the Ulan-Wollar Road to be realigned.
The project summary states and construction would be staged over the life of the project, but most construction work would occurred in the first 12 to 18 months.
“The project would facilitate the continued employment of some 550 employees and full-time equivalent contractors and the direct employment of an additional 75 people during peak operational periods,” Peabody states in its project overview.
An Environmental Assessment will look at the potential effects of the project, including noise and blasting, air quality, and the impact on groundwater and surface water and biodiversity.
Peabody is inviting Mid-Western Region residents to comment on the potential social impacts of the project, as part of a social impact assessment.
Members of the public can provide input through a survey available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WEPSIAsurvey.
The survey will also be distributed in hard copy to Wollar residents.
The project summary and preliminary environmental assessment documents can be viewed at the Department of Planning and Environment website.
Source: Rubyn Murray, Mudgee Guardian 16 February 2015
Link: http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/2884285/wilpinjong-seeks-to-extend-the-life-of-mine-with-planned-expansion/?cs=1485
