FINAL MINUTES OF MEETING INTEGRA MINE COMPLEX COMMUNITY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY 17 th February Community Representative

Transcription

1 FINAL MINUTES OF MEETING INTEGRA MINE COMPLEX COMMUNITY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY 17 th February 216 Present: John Turner Independent Chairperson Lyn McBain Community Representative Deidre Olofsson Community Representative Greg Hall Community Representative David Moran Community Representative Chris Quinn Environmental Officer Rix s Creek Garry Bailey General Manager Mining Development Bloomfield Group Luke Murray Mine Manager Rix s Creek John Hindmarsh Senior Environmental Officer Rix s Creek Vicki McBride Approval Manager Glencore Jason Thomas Underground Manager Glencore In Attendance at Company Request: Apologies: Chris Knight Marianne Bonney Kate Walsh Cr Tessa Capsanis (TC) Department of Planning & Environment (DPE) Department Resources & Energy Department Resources & Energy SSC Councillor Agenda 1. Welcome / Opening of the meeting by the Chairperson. 2. Apologies. 3. Declaration of any pecuniary interest. 4. Previous minutes business arising. 5. Reports and overview of activities: Overview of care and maintenance activities Planning & reporting status (AR). Presentation of environmental monitoring results Questions or discussion of issues arising from the report and overview of activities from Committee Members. 6. Approvals update 7. Overview of Rix s Creek North re-commencing operations 8. Proposed care and maintenance activities at Integra Underground Mine 9. General Business. 1. Discussion around dissolving Integra Coal Operations CCC and incorporation into Rix s Creek Mine s CCC and Glencore s Mount Owen Complex CCC. Page 1

2 Meeting open: 1am Introductions: Welcome and opening of meeting. Declaration of pecuniary interest: JT declared a commercial arrangement for fees and expenses relating to attendance and travel to and from ICO CCC meetings. Nil other comments Acceptance of previous minutes: Analysis of monitoring results. Motioned Deidre Olofsson, seconded Lyn McBain Reports and Overview of Activities Update and overview of site care and maintenance activities: Explanation of purchase of Integra Complex by Glencore and the subsequent purchase of the Open cut by Bloomfield. o On the 18th December 215 Glencore acquired of 1% of Integra Coal Operations. o Bloomfield Group has subsequently purchased, from Glencore, the previous Integra Open Cut Operations, CHPP, Train loading infrastructure and Rail Loop. o Glencore retain ownership of the Integra Underground Mine. o Bloomfield Group will operate Open Cut Operations as Rix s Creek North. o Glencore will continue to manage Integra Underground Mine in Care and Maintenance. Care & Maintenance activities throughout the year. o Northern Open Cut RL 15 rehabilitation has been completed with topsoil spread and native tree seed completed in November 215. July-December rehabilitation undertaken on north 15 emplacement dump of 13 ha. Placed rehabilitation 3.5 ha ahead of MOP schedule o Water destruction actives and water pumping continued across site. Water pumping continued during the period with 1 fans operating 6:3 5 pm located in West pit. o Ensuring compliance with Project Approval and Environmental Protection Licence a priority in Care and Maintenance. o Preservation of CHPP and mining equipment ongoing in C&M period. o Mine is continued to maintain Statutory Compliance for: Ventilation Monitoring o Gas drainage and Flare plant idle. o EDL extracting Methane to produce power during C&M period. Planning and Reporting Status o 215 Annual Review for Integra Coal Operations due 31 March 216 o Bioremediation improvements in C&M period. Hydrocarbon Management Procedure updated in June 215 Previous bioremediation site tested for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) Bioremediation site constructed at RL1 South Pit in December 215 o UG gaswell remediation and first stage fan site rehabilitation completed December sites to be remediated 6 sites to be remediated as per MOP o Glennies Creek Riparian Management progressed with Enright Land Management conducting weed management of Area 5 and 6 in November 215. Weeds targeted include Honey Locus, castor palm oil and green cestrum. Further work to be done in Area 4. Question: Is there going to be any further work done upstream. Monitoring results Page 2

3 Air quality monitoring during C&M. Semester Date Average TSP (ug/m3) Figure 1 Air Quality Monitoring Sites Average High Volume Air Sampler TSP comparison between operations and C&M HV1-LAM TSP in ug/m3 Annual Average Maximum TSP in ug/m3 HV3-HAR TSP in ug/m3 TSP results have shown a decrease during C&M. Figure 2 Total Suspended Particulates monitoring results Page 3

4 Semester Average PM1 (ug/m3) /8/213 3/9/213 31/1/213 Average High Volume Air Sampler PM1 Comparison between Operations and C&M 3/11/213 31/12/213 31/1/214 28/2/214 31/3/214 Figure 3 PM1 Monitoring results PM1 monitoring results also showed a decrease during C&M 3/4/214 31/5/214 3/6/214 Question: Is the annual air quality maximum going to change from 3 μg/m 3 to 25 μg/m 3? 31/7/214 31/8/214 3/9/214 31/1/214 3/11/214 31/12/214 31/1/215 28/2/215 HV3-HAR PM1 ug/m3 HV1-LAM PM1 ug/m3 Annual Average Maximum 31/3/215 3/4/215 31/5/215 3/6/215 31/7/215 31/8/215 3/9/215 31/1/215 3/11/215 31/12/215 No. New NEPM standard has been released. Which will not change approval conditions for the operation. Air quality standards will be updated for populated areas and will eventually be reflected in approval conditions for new operations. Water Quality EC (µs/cm) Open Cut Monthly Water Monitoring Electrical Conductivity and ph at EPA Sites ph W1: Station Ck - EC W3: Martins Creek - EC W6: Blackwattle Ck - EC W1: Station Ck - ph W3: Martins Creek - ph W6: Blackwattle Ck - ph Figure 4 Water Quality Monitoring Results Water quality monitoring results have shown little if any change during C&M. Page 4

5 8 Electrical Conductivity (EC) and ph - Nobles crossing, Glennies Creek EC (us/cm) ph 1 EC ph /9/212 1/11/212 1/1/213 1/3/213 1/5/213 1/7/213 1/9/213 1/11/213 1/1/214 1/3/214 1/5/214 1/7/214 1/9/214 1/11/214 1/1/215 1/3/215 1/5/215 1/7/215 1/9/215 1/11/215 Figure 5 Glennies Creek Water Quality Monitoring Results. Modification 4 Biodiversity Offset Strategy update: o 1 th December Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) visited site for a presentation and site inspection. o 11 th December PAC meeting was convened whereby community members and environmental groups voiced their opinion on Modification 4. o Modification 4 still waiting determination from PAC. Community Complaints o 3 dust complaints o 2 water enquiries One reportable incident between January-December 215. Valve on clean water pipeline forced open releasing clean water into Station Creek. Found during monthly inspections on 22 nd September 215 while undertaking monthly inspections. Question: Why is this pipeline not monitored? This is a clean water pipeline and as such the release of clean water into the creek is not an environmental issue or breach to the EPL. Question: Why was this not reported to the Police? Not necessary as Police not interested in the issue. Question: Condition of the water. The 1 fan sprays have been located in the west pit and the 2 spray water lines are located on the dump. These have been turned off. These sprays will be trailed for a period of time to access their effectiveness in terms of running costs and quantities of water removed. Question: Are Heavy Metals testing in water conducted at Integra Mine Site? Page 5

6 Response to answer not recorded in minutes taken at meeting, however, Rix s Creek Mines response is that water quality monitoring was undertaken in accordance with the conditions set out in the Water Management Plan (EMP) with results reported in the Annual Environmental Management Report. Both of these documents are freely available on the website for review. A summary of the monitoring requirements from the WMP is provided below. Surface waters (including fresh and mime water) monitoring is undertaken as required under the WMP Surface water dams - Monthly testing:- ph, Ec, TSS TDS Possum Skin Dam mine water storage. Monthly testing for:- ph, Ec, TDS, Na, K, Ca, Mg, F, Cl, SO4, HCO3, NO3, Total N, Total P, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, As, Se, Cd, Cr (Totals) Groundwater monitoring Bi-monthly monitoring:- Ec, ph Annual monitoring:- EC, ph)+ TDS, Na, K, Ca, Mg, F, Cl, SO4, HCO3, NO3, Total N, Total P, hardness, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, As, Se, Cd, Cr (Totals). Approvals Purchase of Integra Complex. Glencore as H. V Coking Coal will take over the underground and Bloomfield will take over the open cut. Operations are still covered by the same development consent. Modification 5 has been submitted to allow ROM coal to be run to the Rix s Creek CHPP Modification 6 has been submitted to DPE to split the development consents back into separate individual approvals for underground and open cut approvals. This is currently on exhibition. Rix s Creek modification 7 is to allow ROM coal to be run to the RCN CHPP was submitted the same time as the Mod 5 to the current Integra consent. EPL 339 Integra was transferred to Glencore with a premises boundary variation to include only the underground operation. The current Rix s Creek EPL3391 had the premises boundary varied to combine Rix s Creek Mine and Rix s Creek North operations under the one EPL3391. Overview of Rix s Creek North recommencing operations. Bloomfield group will operate Open Cut operations as Rix s Creek North. This will control Open Cut Mining in the North, South and Western Extension Areas. A Mining Operations Plan for RCN was approved by DRE on the 18th January 216. The approved MOP for RCN proposes a much lower production rate of up to 2.3 million tonnes of run of mine coal annually. Environmental Management Plans have been modified and are being reviewed by Department of Planning and Environment. Combine Rix s Creek North into the Rix s Creek framework so both sites operate under the same framework. Question: How many people will be employed? In total about 6 people. Question: How can start operations without leases being changed. The mining tenements have been transferred to Glencore and Bloomfield. One Cl 382 has to be divided between both operators. Page 6

7 Question: Will you run up the washery. The plan is to use the washery to wash the open cut coal and was day shift only. In the short term coal may be washed through the Rix s Creek washery until the RCN washery is operational. An agreement exists to wash and load underground coal when it recommences operations. Question: Can Rix s Creek handle all the coal. Yes but will have to operate 7 days 24 hours a day. Question: How does the North open cut pit fit into the program? It is not planned to mine in the North open cut during the current MOP seven year period. Ongoing & Proposed Care & Maintenance activities at Integra Underground Mine. Glencore took over care and maintenance activities on 18 th December 215 Glencore has no plans to restart the operation in the near term and we will continue to evaluate a number of options in the months ahead. Intent of Care and Maintenance is to: o Maintain legislative compliance o Maintain the mine in a safe and serviceable state to resume general operations when/if authorised to do so o Minimise cost to the business o Preserve the assets during the period to mitigate the cost of restarting operations. Approvals, Environment & Community work program during this period: o Modification of all approvals to achieve a stand-alone operation o Align and implement the Integra Underground Environmental Management System to be consistent with Glencore standards and requirements o Identify opportunities for synergies in environmental management and community engagement with the adjacent Mt Owen Complex and other Glencore mines in the Greater Ravensworth Area where practicable o Consultation with regulators, neighbours and other stakeholders General Business Dissolving Integra Coal Operations Community Consultative Committee. It is proposed to dissolve the Integra Coal Operations CCC and amalgamate with the Rix s Creek Mines CCC (for Rix s Creek North) and the Mt Owen Complex CCC (for Integra Underground) The Mt Owen Complex CCC meets quarterly, with the next meeting proposed for 18 March at the Glendell Mine site Rix s Creek Mine CCC is proposed for May 216, date to be confirmed. Noted - Lyn McBain: Community CCC not consulted with throughout the process. Outcome from CCC members is that the Integra CCC be amalgamated into the Mt Owen and Rix s Creek CCC s is:- Greg Hall would like to join the MT Owen CCC. Deidre Olofsson is already a community member. David Moran and Greg Hall did not wish to join. The entire 4 members: - Lyn McBain, Deidre Olofsson, Greg Hall and David Moran; would join the Rix s Creek CCC. Page 7

8 Meeting Closed 1:7am Page 8