Cockatoo Coal has revealed updated plans for two open cut mining pits and a long term underground mine in the Bylong Valley.
The proposed project is owned by Kepco and managed by Cockatoo Coal.
Cockatoo is about to enter their submission for the NSW Government’s ‘Gateway Process’, which looks at the impacts of the project and requires community consultation that they have been carrying out.
Since 2011 around 400 exploration bores have drilled across the two leases in the Bylong area.
The company has also established an on-site environmental monitoring network to collect data on water, dust, noise, air quality, and weather, in order to find a balance with the mining project.
General Manager NSW Project Development for Cockatoo Coal, Stuart Hides, said the proposed project is medium to small for the state, which typically has mines that produce 10 to 15 million tons per annum.
“We’re looking at a conceptual plan that produces five million tons of coal per annum, some of that coal is processed at a wash plant which then produces four to four and a half tons per annum,” he said.
“The life of the project, if it was to go forward, is approximately 29 years.
“At full production the mine will generate $30-35million in royalties to the government per annum.
“We are looking to have a workforce come in and there will be different stages of construction, then the open cut before the underground.
“This will employ anywhere between 300 to 550 people as a workforce for the mine for the full 29 years of the mine life.
“In addition to that there are a number of jobs that are generated as a result of the spinoff industries that come to support the mining activities and these will all be based regionally.”
Cockatoo has employed farmers to run the properties within the lease area that aren’t going to be used for mining.
Mr Hides said this shows “we can coexist with agricultural activity here”.
“As one of the aims of the project we’ve been running lots of agricultural activity in the area within the lease,” he said.
“Even though we will be having open cut and underground mining running we will still continue to run properties within the lease area under our control as agricultural properties throughout the life of the project.
“We want the agricultural lands to be in an equal or better state than when we commenced.”
While there will be some visual impact of mining activity given the infrastructure such as a rail loop required the company is trying to keep it to a minimum.
This will be done through using the natural topography of the land to shelter the activities from the township of Bylong and from the roads running through the area.
The original article can be found at the following link:
http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/1983730/cockatoo-reveals-bylong-plans/
