Nepean longwall threat

Wednesday, 22 November 2006 03:17

The NSW Department of Primary Industries yesterday granted conditional approval to four longwall panels at BHP Billiton’s Douglas Area 7 mine. The longwall panels in Douglas Area 7 are orientated perpendicular to the river, which is known to cause maximum subsidence damage.

Environment groups, who have been asking the NSW Government to establish a 1km protection zone around rivers and creeks underlain by longwall mining, have vigorously opposed the mine.

“BHP Billiton is embarking on a project that will further damage the Nepean River through events such as cracking of the riverbed, water loss and cliff collapses”, said Natural Areas Campaigner, David Burgess.

The new mine’s longwall panels come to within 180m of the Nepean River. In the case of the nearby and geologically similar Appin 3 mine an independent consultant to the NSW Government had recommended that mining not come within 350m of the Cataract River to prevent cracking of the riverbed.

“The NSW Government’s Subsidence Management Plan approvals process continues to operate as a rubber stamp for new mining proposals. All that new approvals promise to do is monitor the inevitable damage caused to rivers, streams and aquifers by longwall mining.

"We know that damage is going to occur. Key scientific data and independent advice are routinely ignored in favour of BHP Billiton in the southern coalfields. The Government needs to step in to protect the rivers and drinking water catchments of NSW”, Mr Burgess concluded.

TEC is about to release a report on the environmental damage caused by longwall mining in NSW. The report will call upon the NSW Government to introduce a mandatory 1km mining exclusion zone around rivers and groundwater aquifers in all mining licences by 2010.