Environmental Aspects of Mine Planning

ABSTRACT: 

Underground mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. It is in this context that community, government, and environmental groups have raised concerns about the effects that mining can have on rivers and other natural features, residential property, and infrastructure, such as transmission lines, roads, and bridges. On natural features, these effects can include fracturing of the rock bedding in the river, water loss to the shallow sub-strata, gas release, rock falls, and vegetation dieback.

In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through a Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning, particularly in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on the surface features.
 

The focus of this paper is the programme undertaken by BHP Billiton – Illawarra Coal to integrate environmental assessments into mine planning. This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process is described.

The purpose of this process is to identify surface features, determine their sensitivity, develop mitigation and remediation options, and potentially avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.
 

In implementing this process, it is anticipated that it will provide a more secure outcome for the business. This
is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of costly changes to mine plans being required within short time frames.

The rigorous Integrated Mine Planning Process (IMPP) will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the Subsidence Management Plan (SMP) application to government has the highest probability of approval and will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and
Illawarra Coal.

INTRODUCTION
BHP Billiton - Illawarra Coal is a coal mining business operating in a sensitive locality about 1.5 hours drive to
the south of Sydney, Australia are shown in Figure 1.

The Illawarra Coal business produced approximately 7 million tonnes of premium-quality coking coal during the financial year to June 2003. The coking coal is utilised in the production of steel at the Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales, Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and by overseas customers.
 

Mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. In this sensitive area, the operations must be sustainable within the context of urban pressure and sensitive ecological environments.

As with many businesses, Illawarra Coal has recognised that future success is contingent upon achieving sustainable outcomes, including sustainability in environmental and community terms. These requirements represent one of the greatest challenges that lie ahead for the success of the Illawarra Coal business.

In 2002, Illawarra Coal commenced an extensive stakeholder consultation programme to identify stakeholder
issues related to its underground mining operations. The program was facilitated by Coakes Consulting, who are social management specialists. It included individual interviews with over 100 stakeholders, including state and local government agencies, local residents, environmental and community organisations, indigenous groups and local businesses. In addition, a telephone survey of 1400 households, randomly selected from across the Wollondilly and Wollongong Local Government Areas has also been undertaken to assess community attitudes towards mining.

A key environmental issue facing the business is that mining under rivers and other natural features can cause fracturing of stream-beds, redirection of water to shallow sub-strata, water quality impacts and methane gas emissions from the strata to the atmosphere. One of the key stakeholder themes identified in the consultation program was the need for ‘sensitive mine planning’, particularly in relation to mining under rivers and other natural features in sensitive areas.
 

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS INTO MINE PLANNING
In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through the Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on surface features.
 

The development and implementation of a new IMP was identified as a key strategy to address stakeholder concerns such as mining under rivers, and has been developed as a planning process to identify and manage subsidence effects on natural and constructed surface features.

The IMPP provides a systematic and ongoing approach to incorporating environmental assessments as part of
mine planning. It is an iterative process enabling key events and business challenges to be identified and dealt with in a timely and systematic manner. A primary input into the process is the BHP Billiton Charter and Health Safety Environment and Community (HSEC) Policies. The business principles developed in these documents cascade through the Carbon Steel Materials planning strategy and into the Illawarra Coal business plan. The Illawarra Coal planning cycle shown in Figure 2 supports and optimises the business plan. There are a number of inputs into the process, which is iterative and normally spans a period of 12 months or more

Fig 2 - Illawarra Coal Mine Planning Cycle

Impacts on natural features are addressed in the planning cycle through its assessment of environmental and surface effects. The key elements of the planning cycle include:
• continuing stakeholder consultation and participation;
• comprehensive baseline environmental assessment;
• consideration of environmental impacts and mitigation measures during the assessment of alternativee mine plan options;
• consideration of monitoring results from past mining activities; and
• monitoring and stakeholder reporting programs.
 

In order to build an approach with the ownership of both internal and external stakeholders, the development of the IMPP process has involved both internal and external consultation. The process followed for the development of the IMPP is illustrated in Figure 3.

Fig 3 - Process for development of IMPP

The external community and government consultation phase conducted in 2002 was followed by a series of company workshops and meetings. From this, a draft, integrated mine planning process was developed with key planning and operations personnel. Development of the process then involved company approval and internal communication to the broader planning and operations staff within Illawarra Coal. Consultation is now underway with external stakeholders, including government, environmental groups, and community groups. The IMPP will then be finalised taking into account stakeholder feedback, and then implemented at Illawarra Coal mining operations.
 

The Illawarra Coal mine planning process is being developed to be consistent with the Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) SMP process. The SMP will replace the environmental assessment and approval components of the current approval process. The new DMR process will be implemented from March 2004.

TIMING OF MINE PLANNING
Mining of coal by longwall methods involves considerable expenditure and lead time (up to 5 years) for the development of access roadways before longwall coal extraction can commence. The cost of longwall development is high and needs to be done well in advance of mining to ensure continuity of extraction. This continuity is critical to the success of a longwall mining business. Without continuity, lost production, costimpacts, loss of jobs and closure of mines would result. This reinforces the need for suitable long-term planning to ensure that timing requirements can be met. The IMPP process considers these factors.

Overview of the IMPP
The IMPP involves a holistic approach to the development of mine plans for the total minable resource area, rather than simply a plan for a set of mining panels associated with the next longwall mining approval. This approach ensures a greater level of awareness of issues, an ability to plan and implement mitigating strategies,
and minimises business risk to the company associated with potential changes to mine plans.

The IMPP is designed to integrate stakeholder engagement and environmental impact assessment into the mine planning process. This will enable future mine plans to be developed on the balanced consideration of all
relevant factors including stakeholder expectations, environmental impact, geology, resource utilisation, operational constraints and economic feasibility.

For the purpose of sensitivity assessment, surface features are grouped into three categories being natural features, infrastructure and private properties. The natural features that tend to be most sensitive to mining induced subsidence include rivers, creeks, wetlands or swamps, and cliff lines.

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
The process of developing the IMPP involves five yseps which are illustrated in Figure 4 and are discussed in detail.

Step 1 - Preliminary Sensitivity Assessment
Step 1 is the initial assessment of options for mine planning. It includes a review of geological information, mine layout, development requirements and access to the coal resource. It also includes the preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of the surface features to underground mining.

Illawarra Coal has a substantial database of information in relation to surface features, subsidence impacts, mitigation measures, and stakeholder expectations. The preliminary sensitivity assessment is designed to provide an initial focus for mine planning based on existing information. This enables the consideration of alternative mine planning options and/or mitigation measures at an early stage.

Step 2 - Preliminary Mine Planning Assessment
This step involves the preliminary evaluation of alternative mine plans to determine the preferred mine plan/s. The alternative mine plans are developed utilising proven mitigation or remediation of subsidence impacts on sensitive features and/or avoidance of sensitive surface features identified in Step 1.
 

The evaluation of alternatives is conducted by a multi-disciplinary mine planning team and involves a balanced
consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. The multi-disciplinary team includes representatives from a number of internal groups including exploration, mine planning, mine infrastructure, environment, and community. The preferred mine plan or plans provide an initial focus for the detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features conducted in Step 3.

Fig 4 - Steps of the Integrated Mine Planning Process

Step 3 - Detailed Sensitivity Assessment
Step 3 involves a detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features, and mining constraints. It includes the collection of baseline data on surface features, subsidence impacts and mitigation measures, and seeks to identify mine planning constraints.

At this stage, the baseline assessment is undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, leading to the revision of the sensitivity assessment from Step 1. These stakeholders include government, environmental groups, and community representatives. A subsidence impact assessment will be undertaken for natural features that will potentially be undermined, and mitigation options will be identified for significant features. Ongoing monitoring and assessment requirements will also be identified during this step.

Step 4 - Detailed Mine Planning
This step involves a detailed re-evaluation of alternative mine plans based on the results of Step 3. This review
is conducted by the multidisciplinary mine planning team, in a similar process to Step 2, and involves a balanced consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. Step 4 results in the selection of a final
preferred mine plan and development of preferred mitigation measures.
 

Step 5 - Preparation of the Mining Approval Application
This step involves the preparation of an SMP to support the subsequent longwall mining approval application.
The SMP will include the impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures for natural features prepared in consultation with relevant government and community stakeholders. Step 5 will be repeated for each longwall mining application required over the life of the mining operation.
 

The DMR’s processing of the SMP involves additional community consultations including public advertisements and access to the SMP.

HOW THE PROCESSING IS BEING IMPLEMENTED
Illawarra Coal has developed centralised mine planning teams incorporating expertise from the relevant mine, and representatives from exploration, environment, community, and long term mine planning areas to implement the integrated mine planning process. The objective of these teams is to ensure consistency of approach with the IMPP across the company’s operations and to manage the development of the mine plan and the approval requirements. The teams are currently implementing the process for the development of new
mining areas at both Appin and West Cliff mines.

CONCLUSION
The future of mining in the Illawarra region will be dependent on adequately addressing sustainability issues. This paper has shown BHP Billiton-Illawarra Coal’s approach to incorporating environmental aspects into mine planning.

This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The paper describes the process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process.
 

The purpose of this process is to identify sensitive surface features, mitigation and remediation options, and potential avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.

The IMPP now being utilised within Illawarra Coal business is the process that has been developed to incorporate environmental assessments into mine planning.

It is anticipated this will lead to more secure outcome for the business. This is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of changes to mine plans being required within short time frames. The thorough and rigorous process will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the SMP application to government has the highest probability of approval. We are confident that this process will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and the business.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Managers, exploration staff, mine planners and other representatives from the Illawarra Coal business are acknowledged for their contribution and willingness to embrace the significant change that is occurring to fully
incorporate environmental assessments as part of our mine planning processes.

There has been considerable input from Coakes Consulting into the development of this process, including facilitation of the stakeholder involvement programme, facilitation of workshops, contribution of ideas towards
modifying our mine planning processes, and documentation, much of which has been utilised in the preparation
of this paper.

The role of internal managers and the expertise that Coakes Consulting have brought have both been crucial to the success of the IMPP within Illawarra Coal.

Environmental Aspects of Mine Planning

ABSTRACT: 

Underground mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. It is in this context that community, government, and environmental groups have raised concerns about the effects that mining can have on rivers and other natural features, residential property, and infrastructure, such as transmission lines, roads, and bridges. On natural features, these effects can include fracturing of the rock bedding in the river, water loss to the shallow sub-strata, gas release, rock falls, and vegetation dieback.

In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through a Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning, particularly in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on the surface features.
 

The focus of this paper is the programme undertaken by BHP Billiton – Illawarra Coal to integrate environmental assessments into mine planning. This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process is described.

The purpose of this process is to identify surface features, determine their sensitivity, develop mitigation and remediation options, and potentially avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.
 

In implementing this process, it is anticipated that it will provide a more secure outcome for the business. This
is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of costly changes to mine plans being required within short time frames.

The rigorous Integrated Mine Planning Process (IMPP) will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the Subsidence Management Plan (SMP) application to government has the highest probability of approval and will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and
Illawarra Coal.

INTRODUCTION
BHP Billiton - Illawarra Coal is a coal mining business operating in a sensitive locality about 1.5 hours drive to
the south of Sydney, Australia are shown in Figure 1.

The Illawarra Coal business produced approximately 7 million tonnes of premium-quality coking coal during the financial year to June 2003. The coking coal is utilised in the production of steel at the Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales, Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and by overseas customers.
 

Mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. In this sensitive area, the operations must be sustainable within the context of urban pressure and sensitive ecological environments.

As with many businesses, Illawarra Coal has recognised that future success is contingent upon achieving sustainable outcomes, including sustainability in environmental and community terms. These requirements represent one of the greatest challenges that lie ahead for the success of the Illawarra Coal business.

In 2002, Illawarra Coal commenced an extensive stakeholder consultation programme to identify stakeholder
issues related to its underground mining operations. The program was facilitated by Coakes Consulting, who are social management specialists. It included individual interviews with over 100 stakeholders, including state and local government agencies, local residents, environmental and community organisations, indigenous groups and local businesses. In addition, a telephone survey of 1400 households, randomly selected from across the Wollondilly and Wollongong Local Government Areas has also been undertaken to assess community attitudes towards mining.

A key environmental issue facing the business is that mining under rivers and other natural features can cause fracturing of stream-beds, redirection of water to shallow sub-strata, water quality impacts and methane gas emissions from the strata to the atmosphere. One of the key stakeholder themes identified in the consultation program was the need for ‘sensitive mine planning’, particularly in relation to mining under rivers and other natural features in sensitive areas.
 

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS INTO MINE PLANNING
In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through the Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on surface features.
 

The development and implementation of a new IMP was identified as a key strategy to address stakeholder concerns such as mining under rivers, and has been developed as a planning process to identify and manage subsidence effects on natural and constructed surface features.

The IMPP provides a systematic and ongoing approach to incorporating environmental assessments as part of
mine planning. It is an iterative process enabling key events and business challenges to be identified and dealt with in a timely and systematic manner. A primary input into the process is the BHP Billiton Charter and Health Safety Environment and Community (HSEC) Policies. The business principles developed in these documents cascade through the Carbon Steel Materials planning strategy and into the Illawarra Coal business plan. The Illawarra Coal planning cycle shown in Figure 2 supports and optimises the business plan. There are a number of inputs into the process, which is iterative and normally spans a period of 12 months or more

Fig 2 - Illawarra Coal Mine Planning Cycle

Impacts on natural features are addressed in the planning cycle through its assessment of environmental and surface effects. The key elements of the planning cycle include:
• continuing stakeholder consultation and participation;
• comprehensive baseline environmental assessment;
• consideration of environmental impacts and mitigation measures during the assessment of alternativee mine plan options;
• consideration of monitoring results from past mining activities; and
• monitoring and stakeholder reporting programs.
 

In order to build an approach with the ownership of both internal and external stakeholders, the development of the IMPP process has involved both internal and external consultation. The process followed for the development of the IMPP is illustrated in Figure 3.

Fig 3 - Process for development of IMPP

The external community and government consultation phase conducted in 2002 was followed by a series of company workshops and meetings. From this, a draft, integrated mine planning process was developed with key planning and operations personnel. Development of the process then involved company approval and internal communication to the broader planning and operations staff within Illawarra Coal. Consultation is now underway with external stakeholders, including government, environmental groups, and community groups. The IMPP will then be finalised taking into account stakeholder feedback, and then implemented at Illawarra Coal mining operations.
 

The Illawarra Coal mine planning process is being developed to be consistent with the Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) SMP process. The SMP will replace the environmental assessment and approval components of the current approval process. The new DMR process will be implemented from March 2004.

TIMING OF MINE PLANNING
Mining of coal by longwall methods involves considerable expenditure and lead time (up to 5 years) for the development of access roadways before longwall coal extraction can commence. The cost of longwall development is high and needs to be done well in advance of mining to ensure continuity of extraction. This continuity is critical to the success of a longwall mining business. Without continuity, lost production, costimpacts, loss of jobs and closure of mines would result. This reinforces the need for suitable long-term planning to ensure that timing requirements can be met. The IMPP process considers these factors.

Overview of the IMPP
The IMPP involves a holistic approach to the development of mine plans for the total minable resource area, rather than simply a plan for a set of mining panels associated with the next longwall mining approval. This approach ensures a greater level of awareness of issues, an ability to plan and implement mitigating strategies,
and minimises business risk to the company associated with potential changes to mine plans.

The IMPP is designed to integrate stakeholder engagement and environmental impact assessment into the mine planning process. This will enable future mine plans to be developed on the balanced consideration of all
relevant factors including stakeholder expectations, environmental impact, geology, resource utilisation, operational constraints and economic feasibility.

For the purpose of sensitivity assessment, surface features are grouped into three categories being natural features, infrastructure and private properties. The natural features that tend to be most sensitive to mining induced subsidence include rivers, creeks, wetlands or swamps, and cliff lines.

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
The process of developing the IMPP involves five yseps which are illustrated in Figure 4 and are discussed in detail.

Step 1 - Preliminary Sensitivity Assessment
Step 1 is the initial assessment of options for mine planning. It includes a review of geological information, mine layout, development requirements and access to the coal resource. It also includes the preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of the surface features to underground mining.

Illawarra Coal has a substantial database of information in relation to surface features, subsidence impacts, mitigation measures, and stakeholder expectations. The preliminary sensitivity assessment is designed to provide an initial focus for mine planning based on existing information. This enables the consideration of alternative mine planning options and/or mitigation measures at an early stage.

Step 2 - Preliminary Mine Planning Assessment
This step involves the preliminary evaluation of alternative mine plans to determine the preferred mine plan/s. The alternative mine plans are developed utilising proven mitigation or remediation of subsidence impacts on sensitive features and/or avoidance of sensitive surface features identified in Step 1.
 

The evaluation of alternatives is conducted by a multi-disciplinary mine planning team and involves a balanced
consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. The multi-disciplinary team includes representatives from a number of internal groups including exploration, mine planning, mine infrastructure, environment, and community. The preferred mine plan or plans provide an initial focus for the detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features conducted in Step 3.

Fig 4 - Steps of the Integrated Mine Planning Process

Step 3 - Detailed Sensitivity Assessment
Step 3 involves a detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features, and mining constraints. It includes the collection of baseline data on surface features, subsidence impacts and mitigation measures, and seeks to identify mine planning constraints.

At this stage, the baseline assessment is undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, leading to the revision of the sensitivity assessment from Step 1. These stakeholders include government, environmental groups, and community representatives. A subsidence impact assessment will be undertaken for natural features that will potentially be undermined, and mitigation options will be identified for significant features. Ongoing monitoring and assessment requirements will also be identified during this step.

Step 4 - Detailed Mine Planning
This step involves a detailed re-evaluation of alternative mine plans based on the results of Step 3. This review
is conducted by the multidisciplinary mine planning team, in a similar process to Step 2, and involves a balanced consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. Step 4 results in the selection of a final
preferred mine plan and development of preferred mitigation measures.
 

Step 5 - Preparation of the Mining Approval Application
This step involves the preparation of an SMP to support the subsequent longwall mining approval application.
The SMP will include the impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures for natural features prepared in consultation with relevant government and community stakeholders. Step 5 will be repeated for each longwall mining application required over the life of the mining operation.
 

The DMR’s processing of the SMP involves additional community consultations including public advertisements and access to the SMP.

HOW THE PROCESSING IS BEING IMPLEMENTED
Illawarra Coal has developed centralised mine planning teams incorporating expertise from the relevant mine, and representatives from exploration, environment, community, and long term mine planning areas to implement the integrated mine planning process. The objective of these teams is to ensure consistency of approach with the IMPP across the company’s operations and to manage the development of the mine plan and the approval requirements. The teams are currently implementing the process for the development of new
mining areas at both Appin and West Cliff mines.

CONCLUSION
The future of mining in the Illawarra region will be dependent on adequately addressing sustainability issues. This paper has shown BHP Billiton-Illawarra Coal’s approach to incorporating environmental aspects into mine planning.

This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The paper describes the process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process.
 

The purpose of this process is to identify sensitive surface features, mitigation and remediation options, and potential avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.

The IMPP now being utilised within Illawarra Coal business is the process that has been developed to incorporate environmental assessments into mine planning.

It is anticipated this will lead to more secure outcome for the business. This is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of changes to mine plans being required within short time frames. The thorough and rigorous process will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the SMP application to government has the highest probability of approval. We are confident that this process will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and the business.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Managers, exploration staff, mine planners and other representatives from the Illawarra Coal business are acknowledged for their contribution and willingness to embrace the significant change that is occurring to fully
incorporate environmental assessments as part of our mine planning processes.

There has been considerable input from Coakes Consulting into the development of this process, including facilitation of the stakeholder involvement programme, facilitation of workshops, contribution of ideas towards
modifying our mine planning processes, and documentation, much of which has been utilised in the preparation
of this paper.

The role of internal managers and the expertise that Coakes Consulting have brought have both been crucial to the success of the IMPP within Illawarra Coal.

Environmental Aspects of Mine Planning

ABSTRACT: 

Underground mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. It is in this context that community, government, and environmental groups have raised concerns about the effects that mining can have on rivers and other natural features, residential property, and infrastructure, such as transmission lines, roads, and bridges. On natural features, these effects can include fracturing of the rock bedding in the river, water loss to the shallow sub-strata, gas release, rock falls, and vegetation dieback.

In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through a Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning, particularly in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on the surface features.
 

The focus of this paper is the programme undertaken by BHP Billiton – Illawarra Coal to integrate environmental assessments into mine planning. This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process is described.

The purpose of this process is to identify surface features, determine their sensitivity, develop mitigation and remediation options, and potentially avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.
 

In implementing this process, it is anticipated that it will provide a more secure outcome for the business. This
is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of costly changes to mine plans being required within short time frames.

The rigorous Integrated Mine Planning Process (IMPP) will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the Subsidence Management Plan (SMP) application to government has the highest probability of approval and will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and
Illawarra Coal.

INTRODUCTION
BHP Billiton - Illawarra Coal is a coal mining business operating in a sensitive locality about 1.5 hours drive to
the south of Sydney, Australia are shown in Figure 1.

The Illawarra Coal business produced approximately 7 million tonnes of premium-quality coking coal during the financial year to June 2003. The coking coal is utilised in the production of steel at the Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales, Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and by overseas customers.
 

Mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. In this sensitive area, the operations must be sustainable within the context of urban pressure and sensitive ecological environments.

As with many businesses, Illawarra Coal has recognised that future success is contingent upon achieving sustainable outcomes, including sustainability in environmental and community terms. These requirements represent one of the greatest challenges that lie ahead for the success of the Illawarra Coal business.

In 2002, Illawarra Coal commenced an extensive stakeholder consultation programme to identify stakeholder
issues related to its underground mining operations. The program was facilitated by Coakes Consulting, who are social management specialists. It included individual interviews with over 100 stakeholders, including state and local government agencies, local residents, environmental and community organisations, indigenous groups and local businesses. In addition, a telephone survey of 1400 households, randomly selected from across the Wollondilly and Wollongong Local Government Areas has also been undertaken to assess community attitudes towards mining.

A key environmental issue facing the business is that mining under rivers and other natural features can cause fracturing of stream-beds, redirection of water to shallow sub-strata, water quality impacts and methane gas emissions from the strata to the atmosphere. One of the key stakeholder themes identified in the consultation program was the need for ‘sensitive mine planning’, particularly in relation to mining under rivers and other natural features in sensitive areas.
 

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS INTO MINE PLANNING
In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through the Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on surface features.
 

The development and implementation of a new IMP was identified as a key strategy to address stakeholder concerns such as mining under rivers, and has been developed as a planning process to identify and manage subsidence effects on natural and constructed surface features.

The IMPP provides a systematic and ongoing approach to incorporating environmental assessments as part of
mine planning. It is an iterative process enabling key events and business challenges to be identified and dealt with in a timely and systematic manner. A primary input into the process is the BHP Billiton Charter and Health Safety Environment and Community (HSEC) Policies. The business principles developed in these documents cascade through the Carbon Steel Materials planning strategy and into the Illawarra Coal business plan. The Illawarra Coal planning cycle shown in Figure 2 supports and optimises the business plan. There are a number of inputs into the process, which is iterative and normally spans a period of 12 months or more

Fig 2 - Illawarra Coal Mine Planning Cycle

Impacts on natural features are addressed in the planning cycle through its assessment of environmental and surface effects. The key elements of the planning cycle include:
• continuing stakeholder consultation and participation;
• comprehensive baseline environmental assessment;
• consideration of environmental impacts and mitigation measures during the assessment of alternativee mine plan options;
• consideration of monitoring results from past mining activities; and
• monitoring and stakeholder reporting programs.
 

In order to build an approach with the ownership of both internal and external stakeholders, the development of the IMPP process has involved both internal and external consultation. The process followed for the development of the IMPP is illustrated in Figure 3.

Fig 3 - Process for development of IMPP

The external community and government consultation phase conducted in 2002 was followed by a series of company workshops and meetings. From this, a draft, integrated mine planning process was developed with key planning and operations personnel. Development of the process then involved company approval and internal communication to the broader planning and operations staff within Illawarra Coal. Consultation is now underway with external stakeholders, including government, environmental groups, and community groups. The IMPP will then be finalised taking into account stakeholder feedback, and then implemented at Illawarra Coal mining operations.
 

The Illawarra Coal mine planning process is being developed to be consistent with the Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) SMP process. The SMP will replace the environmental assessment and approval components of the current approval process. The new DMR process will be implemented from March 2004.

TIMING OF MINE PLANNING
Mining of coal by longwall methods involves considerable expenditure and lead time (up to 5 years) for the development of access roadways before longwall coal extraction can commence. The cost of longwall development is high and needs to be done well in advance of mining to ensure continuity of extraction. This continuity is critical to the success of a longwall mining business. Without continuity, lost production, costimpacts, loss of jobs and closure of mines would result. This reinforces the need for suitable long-term planning to ensure that timing requirements can be met. The IMPP process considers these factors.

Overview of the IMPP
The IMPP involves a holistic approach to the development of mine plans for the total minable resource area, rather than simply a plan for a set of mining panels associated with the next longwall mining approval. This approach ensures a greater level of awareness of issues, an ability to plan and implement mitigating strategies,
and minimises business risk to the company associated with potential changes to mine plans.

The IMPP is designed to integrate stakeholder engagement and environmental impact assessment into the mine planning process. This will enable future mine plans to be developed on the balanced consideration of all
relevant factors including stakeholder expectations, environmental impact, geology, resource utilisation, operational constraints and economic feasibility.

For the purpose of sensitivity assessment, surface features are grouped into three categories being natural features, infrastructure and private properties. The natural features that tend to be most sensitive to mining induced subsidence include rivers, creeks, wetlands or swamps, and cliff lines.

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
The process of developing the IMPP involves five yseps which are illustrated in Figure 4 and are discussed in detail.

Step 1 - Preliminary Sensitivity Assessment
Step 1 is the initial assessment of options for mine planning. It includes a review of geological information, mine layout, development requirements and access to the coal resource. It also includes the preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of the surface features to underground mining.

Illawarra Coal has a substantial database of information in relation to surface features, subsidence impacts, mitigation measures, and stakeholder expectations. The preliminary sensitivity assessment is designed to provide an initial focus for mine planning based on existing information. This enables the consideration of alternative mine planning options and/or mitigation measures at an early stage.

Step 2 - Preliminary Mine Planning Assessment
This step involves the preliminary evaluation of alternative mine plans to determine the preferred mine plan/s. The alternative mine plans are developed utilising proven mitigation or remediation of subsidence impacts on sensitive features and/or avoidance of sensitive surface features identified in Step 1.
 

The evaluation of alternatives is conducted by a multi-disciplinary mine planning team and involves a balanced
consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. The multi-disciplinary team includes representatives from a number of internal groups including exploration, mine planning, mine infrastructure, environment, and community. The preferred mine plan or plans provide an initial focus for the detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features conducted in Step 3.

Fig 4 - Steps of the Integrated Mine Planning Process

Step 3 - Detailed Sensitivity Assessment
Step 3 involves a detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features, and mining constraints. It includes the collection of baseline data on surface features, subsidence impacts and mitigation measures, and seeks to identify mine planning constraints.

At this stage, the baseline assessment is undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, leading to the revision of the sensitivity assessment from Step 1. These stakeholders include government, environmental groups, and community representatives. A subsidence impact assessment will be undertaken for natural features that will potentially be undermined, and mitigation options will be identified for significant features. Ongoing monitoring and assessment requirements will also be identified during this step.

Step 4 - Detailed Mine Planning
This step involves a detailed re-evaluation of alternative mine plans based on the results of Step 3. This review
is conducted by the multidisciplinary mine planning team, in a similar process to Step 2, and involves a balanced consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. Step 4 results in the selection of a final
preferred mine plan and development of preferred mitigation measures.
 

Step 5 - Preparation of the Mining Approval Application
This step involves the preparation of an SMP to support the subsequent longwall mining approval application.
The SMP will include the impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures for natural features prepared in consultation with relevant government and community stakeholders. Step 5 will be repeated for each longwall mining application required over the life of the mining operation.
 

The DMR’s processing of the SMP involves additional community consultations including public advertisements and access to the SMP.

HOW THE PROCESSING IS BEING IMPLEMENTED
Illawarra Coal has developed centralised mine planning teams incorporating expertise from the relevant mine, and representatives from exploration, environment, community, and long term mine planning areas to implement the integrated mine planning process. The objective of these teams is to ensure consistency of approach with the IMPP across the company’s operations and to manage the development of the mine plan and the approval requirements. The teams are currently implementing the process for the development of new
mining areas at both Appin and West Cliff mines.

CONCLUSION
The future of mining in the Illawarra region will be dependent on adequately addressing sustainability issues. This paper has shown BHP Billiton-Illawarra Coal’s approach to incorporating environmental aspects into mine planning.

This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The paper describes the process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process.
 

The purpose of this process is to identify sensitive surface features, mitigation and remediation options, and potential avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.

The IMPP now being utilised within Illawarra Coal business is the process that has been developed to incorporate environmental assessments into mine planning.

It is anticipated this will lead to more secure outcome for the business. This is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of changes to mine plans being required within short time frames. The thorough and rigorous process will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the SMP application to government has the highest probability of approval. We are confident that this process will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and the business.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Managers, exploration staff, mine planners and other representatives from the Illawarra Coal business are acknowledged for their contribution and willingness to embrace the significant change that is occurring to fully
incorporate environmental assessments as part of our mine planning processes.

There has been considerable input from Coakes Consulting into the development of this process, including facilitation of the stakeholder involvement programme, facilitation of workshops, contribution of ideas towards
modifying our mine planning processes, and documentation, much of which has been utilised in the preparation
of this paper.

The role of internal managers and the expertise that Coakes Consulting have brought have both been crucial to the success of the IMPP within Illawarra Coal.

Environmental Aspects of Mine Planning

ABSTRACT: 

Underground mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. It is in this context that community, government, and environmental groups have raised concerns about the effects that mining can have on rivers and other natural features, residential property, and infrastructure, such as transmission lines, roads, and bridges. On natural features, these effects can include fracturing of the rock bedding in the river, water loss to the shallow sub-strata, gas release, rock falls, and vegetation dieback.

In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through a Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning, particularly in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on the surface features.
 

The focus of this paper is the programme undertaken by BHP Billiton – Illawarra Coal to integrate environmental assessments into mine planning. This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process is described.

The purpose of this process is to identify surface features, determine their sensitivity, develop mitigation and remediation options, and potentially avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.
 

In implementing this process, it is anticipated that it will provide a more secure outcome for the business. This
is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of costly changes to mine plans being required within short time frames.

The rigorous Integrated Mine Planning Process (IMPP) will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the Subsidence Management Plan (SMP) application to government has the highest probability of approval and will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and
Illawarra Coal.

INTRODUCTION
BHP Billiton - Illawarra Coal is a coal mining business operating in a sensitive locality about 1.5 hours drive to
the south of Sydney, Australia are shown in Figure 1.

The Illawarra Coal business produced approximately 7 million tonnes of premium-quality coking coal during the financial year to June 2003. The coking coal is utilised in the production of steel at the Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales, Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and by overseas customers.
 

Mining has occurred in the Illawarra region for more than 150 years. Over time, community expectations about the environmental effects of mining and other developments have changed dramatically. In this sensitive area, the operations must be sustainable within the context of urban pressure and sensitive ecological environments.

As with many businesses, Illawarra Coal has recognised that future success is contingent upon achieving sustainable outcomes, including sustainability in environmental and community terms. These requirements represent one of the greatest challenges that lie ahead for the success of the Illawarra Coal business.

In 2002, Illawarra Coal commenced an extensive stakeholder consultation programme to identify stakeholder
issues related to its underground mining operations. The program was facilitated by Coakes Consulting, who are social management specialists. It included individual interviews with over 100 stakeholders, including state and local government agencies, local residents, environmental and community organisations, indigenous groups and local businesses. In addition, a telephone survey of 1400 households, randomly selected from across the Wollondilly and Wollongong Local Government Areas has also been undertaken to assess community attitudes towards mining.

A key environmental issue facing the business is that mining under rivers and other natural features can cause fracturing of stream-beds, redirection of water to shallow sub-strata, water quality impacts and methane gas emissions from the strata to the atmosphere. One of the key stakeholder themes identified in the consultation program was the need for ‘sensitive mine planning’, particularly in relation to mining under rivers and other natural features in sensitive areas.
 

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS INTO MINE PLANNING
In the past, mine planning has considered potential effects on engineered structures, however, the same attention has not been paid to the effects of mining on natural features. Through the Stakeholder Involvement Programme conducted by Illawarra Coal, it was identified that government and community stakeholders were seeking a more sensitive approach be taken to mine planning in significant and high risks areas. As a result, mine planning processes are being reviewed to take into account the effects of mining on surface features.
 

The development and implementation of a new IMP was identified as a key strategy to address stakeholder concerns such as mining under rivers, and has been developed as a planning process to identify and manage subsidence effects on natural and constructed surface features.

The IMPP provides a systematic and ongoing approach to incorporating environmental assessments as part of
mine planning. It is an iterative process enabling key events and business challenges to be identified and dealt with in a timely and systematic manner. A primary input into the process is the BHP Billiton Charter and Health Safety Environment and Community (HSEC) Policies. The business principles developed in these documents cascade through the Carbon Steel Materials planning strategy and into the Illawarra Coal business plan. The Illawarra Coal planning cycle shown in Figure 2 supports and optimises the business plan. There are a number of inputs into the process, which is iterative and normally spans a period of 12 months or more

Fig 2 - Illawarra Coal Mine Planning Cycle

Impacts on natural features are addressed in the planning cycle through its assessment of environmental and surface effects. The key elements of the planning cycle include:
• continuing stakeholder consultation and participation;
• comprehensive baseline environmental assessment;
• consideration of environmental impacts and mitigation measures during the assessment of alternativee mine plan options;
• consideration of monitoring results from past mining activities; and
• monitoring and stakeholder reporting programs.
 

In order to build an approach with the ownership of both internal and external stakeholders, the development of the IMPP process has involved both internal and external consultation. The process followed for the development of the IMPP is illustrated in Figure 3.

Fig 3 - Process for development of IMPP

The external community and government consultation phase conducted in 2002 was followed by a series of company workshops and meetings. From this, a draft, integrated mine planning process was developed with key planning and operations personnel. Development of the process then involved company approval and internal communication to the broader planning and operations staff within Illawarra Coal. Consultation is now underway with external stakeholders, including government, environmental groups, and community groups. The IMPP will then be finalised taking into account stakeholder feedback, and then implemented at Illawarra Coal mining operations.
 

The Illawarra Coal mine planning process is being developed to be consistent with the Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) SMP process. The SMP will replace the environmental assessment and approval components of the current approval process. The new DMR process will be implemented from March 2004.

TIMING OF MINE PLANNING
Mining of coal by longwall methods involves considerable expenditure and lead time (up to 5 years) for the development of access roadways before longwall coal extraction can commence. The cost of longwall development is high and needs to be done well in advance of mining to ensure continuity of extraction. This continuity is critical to the success of a longwall mining business. Without continuity, lost production, costimpacts, loss of jobs and closure of mines would result. This reinforces the need for suitable long-term planning to ensure that timing requirements can be met. The IMPP process considers these factors.

Overview of the IMPP
The IMPP involves a holistic approach to the development of mine plans for the total minable resource area, rather than simply a plan for a set of mining panels associated with the next longwall mining approval. This approach ensures a greater level of awareness of issues, an ability to plan and implement mitigating strategies,
and minimises business risk to the company associated with potential changes to mine plans.

The IMPP is designed to integrate stakeholder engagement and environmental impact assessment into the mine planning process. This will enable future mine plans to be developed on the balanced consideration of all
relevant factors including stakeholder expectations, environmental impact, geology, resource utilisation, operational constraints and economic feasibility.

For the purpose of sensitivity assessment, surface features are grouped into three categories being natural features, infrastructure and private properties. The natural features that tend to be most sensitive to mining induced subsidence include rivers, creeks, wetlands or swamps, and cliff lines.

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
The process of developing the IMPP involves five yseps which are illustrated in Figure 4 and are discussed in detail.

Step 1 - Preliminary Sensitivity Assessment
Step 1 is the initial assessment of options for mine planning. It includes a review of geological information, mine layout, development requirements and access to the coal resource. It also includes the preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of the surface features to underground mining.

Illawarra Coal has a substantial database of information in relation to surface features, subsidence impacts, mitigation measures, and stakeholder expectations. The preliminary sensitivity assessment is designed to provide an initial focus for mine planning based on existing information. This enables the consideration of alternative mine planning options and/or mitigation measures at an early stage.

Step 2 - Preliminary Mine Planning Assessment
This step involves the preliminary evaluation of alternative mine plans to determine the preferred mine plan/s. The alternative mine plans are developed utilising proven mitigation or remediation of subsidence impacts on sensitive features and/or avoidance of sensitive surface features identified in Step 1.
 

The evaluation of alternatives is conducted by a multi-disciplinary mine planning team and involves a balanced
consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. The multi-disciplinary team includes representatives from a number of internal groups including exploration, mine planning, mine infrastructure, environment, and community. The preferred mine plan or plans provide an initial focus for the detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features conducted in Step 3.

Fig 4 - Steps of the Integrated Mine Planning Process

Step 3 - Detailed Sensitivity Assessment
Step 3 involves a detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features, and mining constraints. It includes the collection of baseline data on surface features, subsidence impacts and mitigation measures, and seeks to identify mine planning constraints.

At this stage, the baseline assessment is undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, leading to the revision of the sensitivity assessment from Step 1. These stakeholders include government, environmental groups, and community representatives. A subsidence impact assessment will be undertaken for natural features that will potentially be undermined, and mitigation options will be identified for significant features. Ongoing monitoring and assessment requirements will also be identified during this step.

Step 4 - Detailed Mine Planning
This step involves a detailed re-evaluation of alternative mine plans based on the results of Step 3. This review
is conducted by the multidisciplinary mine planning team, in a similar process to Step 2, and involves a balanced consideration of economic, environmental and social issues. Step 4 results in the selection of a final
preferred mine plan and development of preferred mitigation measures.
 

Step 5 - Preparation of the Mining Approval Application
This step involves the preparation of an SMP to support the subsequent longwall mining approval application.
The SMP will include the impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures for natural features prepared in consultation with relevant government and community stakeholders. Step 5 will be repeated for each longwall mining application required over the life of the mining operation.
 

The DMR’s processing of the SMP involves additional community consultations including public advertisements and access to the SMP.

HOW THE PROCESSING IS BEING IMPLEMENTED
Illawarra Coal has developed centralised mine planning teams incorporating expertise from the relevant mine, and representatives from exploration, environment, community, and long term mine planning areas to implement the integrated mine planning process. The objective of these teams is to ensure consistency of approach with the IMPP across the company’s operations and to manage the development of the mine plan and the approval requirements. The teams are currently implementing the process for the development of new
mining areas at both Appin and West Cliff mines.

CONCLUSION
The future of mining in the Illawarra region will be dependent on adequately addressing sustainability issues. This paper has shown BHP Billiton-Illawarra Coal’s approach to incorporating environmental aspects into mine planning.

This has involved internal workshops and projects, together with external consultation. The paper describes the process that the company is utilising to fully incorporate environmental assessments into the mine planning process.
 

The purpose of this process is to identify sensitive surface features, mitigation and remediation options, and potential avoidance measures early in the mine planning process. Another key aspect of the process is to incorporate internal and external stakeholder feedback as part of the mine planning process.

The IMPP now being utilised within Illawarra Coal business is the process that has been developed to incorporate environmental assessments into mine planning.

It is anticipated this will lead to more secure outcome for the business. This is expected to occur through understanding and addressing environmental issues and incorporating stakeholder feedback early in the mine planning process, therefore minimizing the risk of changes to mine plans being required within short time frames. The thorough and rigorous process will give the business confidence that the mine plan submitted through the SMP application to government has the highest probability of approval. We are confident that this process will provide the most sustainable outcome – for the environment, community, and the business.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Managers, exploration staff, mine planners and other representatives from the Illawarra Coal business are acknowledged for their contribution and willingness to embrace the significant change that is occurring to fully
incorporate environmental assessments as part of our mine planning processes.

There has been considerable input from Coakes Consulting into the development of this process, including facilitation of the stakeholder involvement programme, facilitation of workshops, contribution of ideas towards
modifying our mine planning processes, and documentation, much of which has been utilised in the preparation
of this paper.

The role of internal managers and the expertise that Coakes Consulting have brought have both been crucial to the success of the IMPP within Illawarra Coal.

Coal Mining Methods Technique

Coal is a rock derived from plants are dead and buried by silt, sand and clay over millions of years. The existence of high-temperature soil pressure and the occurrence of tectonic movements resulted in the burning or oxidation that converts wood substance in plants carcass into combustible rock called coal.

In Indonesia there are large coal mines such as mine Sawahlunto ombilin in West Sumatra and acid mine hill in southern sumatra. Several kinds / types of coal mining method:

1. Open Pit MiningCoal mining activities without doing heavy digging because the location of coal near the surface of the earth.

2. Underground MiningTo mine coal with these techniques must be made a straight tunnel to reach the coal seam. Furthermore, the tunnel is made flat to mine.

3. Deep MiningMining coal is done when the area was under the hill where made sloping tunnel to reach coal seams.

4. Above Surface MiningType of coal mining activities are carried out if the targeted coal is in the belly of the hill, the flat tunnel where necessary in order to begin mining the coal.

Coal Mining Methods Technique

Coal is a rock derived from plants are dead and buried by silt, sand and clay over millions of years. The existence of high-temperature soil pressure and the occurrence of tectonic movements resulted in the burning or oxidation that converts wood substance in plants carcass into combustible rock called coal.

In Indonesia there are large coal mines such as mine Sawahlunto ombilin in West Sumatra and acid mine hill in southern sumatra. Several kinds / types of coal mining method:

1. Open Pit MiningCoal mining activities without doing heavy digging because the location of coal near the surface of the earth.

2. Underground MiningTo mine coal with these techniques must be made a straight tunnel to reach the coal seam. Furthermore, the tunnel is made flat to mine.

3. Deep MiningMining coal is done when the area was under the hill where made sloping tunnel to reach coal seams.

4. Above Surface MiningType of coal mining activities are carried out if the targeted coal is in the belly of the hill, the flat tunnel where necessary in order to begin mining the coal.

Coal Mining Methods Technique

Coal is a rock derived from plants are dead and buried by silt, sand and clay over millions of years. The existence of high-temperature soil pressure and the occurrence of tectonic movements resulted in the burning or oxidation that converts wood substance in plants carcass into combustible rock called coal.

In Indonesia there are large coal mines such as mine Sawahlunto ombilin in West Sumatra and acid mine hill in southern sumatra. Several kinds / types of coal mining method:

1. Open Pit MiningCoal mining activities without doing heavy digging because the location of coal near the surface of the earth.

2. Underground MiningTo mine coal with these techniques must be made a straight tunnel to reach the coal seam. Furthermore, the tunnel is made flat to mine.

3. Deep MiningMining coal is done when the area was under the hill where made sloping tunnel to reach coal seams.

4. Above Surface MiningType of coal mining activities are carried out if the targeted coal is in the belly of the hill, the flat tunnel where necessary in order to begin mining the coal.

Coal Mining Methods Technique

Coal is a rock derived from plants are dead and buried by silt, sand and clay over millions of years. The existence of high-temperature soil pressure and the occurrence of tectonic movements resulted in the burning or oxidation that converts wood substance in plants carcass into combustible rock called coal.

In Indonesia there are large coal mines such as mine Sawahlunto ombilin in West Sumatra and acid mine hill in southern sumatra. Several kinds / types of coal mining method:

1. Open Pit MiningCoal mining activities without doing heavy digging because the location of coal near the surface of the earth.

2. Underground MiningTo mine coal with these techniques must be made a straight tunnel to reach the coal seam. Furthermore, the tunnel is made flat to mine.

3. Deep MiningMining coal is done when the area was under the hill where made sloping tunnel to reach coal seams.

4. Above Surface MiningType of coal mining activities are carried out if the targeted coal is in the belly of the hill, the flat tunnel where necessary in order to begin mining the coal.

Clean Coal

NEW WAYS TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING

Clean coal-burning energy technology is set to move into the industry mainstream, propelled by new technology developments, important strategic alliances and changing economic circumstances. Some energy industry executives are beginning to lay the groundwork now for a series of coal-gasification plants that would come online by 2010 and beyond. Most of these plants will utilize Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology, which combines coal gasification and combined cycle techniques to provide superior thermal efficiency and lower emissions than do traditional coal-burning plants. That could dramatically transform the coal industry’s competitive landscape and place an unexpected financial burden on utility executives tied to traditional coal-burning plants. Such facilities are less expensive to build and operate now, but they may not be by the end of the decade when new, cleaner technologies move to the coal industry’s forefront.

Utility companies, such as Cinergy, American Electric Power and others, are already getting behind IGCC, which cold provide them a strong early competitive edge if the technology meets its potential. “I’m optimistic that the time is right for IGCC,” says Bob Moreland, general manager of analytical and investment engineering for Cinergy. 

“The driver is that we think this is the way to go to build up our baseline energy capacity.” Cinergy’s PSI Energy along with General Electric Co. and Bechtel signed a letter of intent to study the feasibility of constructing an IGCC generating station that would produce 500 to 600 megawatts of energy to help meet increased demand during the next decade. The study is expected to be completed early in 2005, when a formal contract could be signed. GE and Bechtel are developing a standard commercial offering for IGCC projects in the United States. IGCC proponents view this as a key breakthrough because the standard offering will streamline the planning process, bring down costs of plant construction and minimize the financial risk of utility companies considering IGCC. Previously, the utilities had to separately arrange and contract for each phase of IGCC plant development. “The fact that GE is trying to put this together is very attractive to Cinergy,” explains Moreland. “A utility doesn’t have to buy all the bits and pieces and try to put an IGCC plant together itself.”

CLEAN COAL BENEFITS

IGCC proponents believe the technology, if successful, would reaffirm coal as the clear king of the energy landscape in the United States. They see the technology delivering economically viable, cost-efficient, environmentally sound energy for decades to come. “IGCC seems to be the best option with the most flexibility,” says David Hadley, an Indiana utility commissioner who chairs a commission exploring clean coal alternatives. “There has been a real change in thinking over the last 18 months among utility executives. They are increasingly aware of the environmental issues surrounding the use of coal. It (IGCC) is more economical than retrofitting an existing (coal) plant, potentially.”

Andrew Spahn, director of grants and research for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, notes that more than 100 base loan unit coal plants have been planned during the next four years. He figures IGCC technology could make such plants economically and environmentally feasible because the energy produced is almost as clean as natural gas. “We are going to be building coal plants, regardless,” Spahn says. “If you can build them cleanly, it makes the economics of coal more affordable and cleans up the air.

CHANGING MARKETS

External developments also play a role in the rise of IGCC. Worldwide natural gas shortages and rising oil prices are combining to make coal a more attractive option, especially in the United States where there is an abundant supply. 

Furthermore, a clean coal-burning ICGG plant costs only between 10 and 20 percent more to build than a traditional coal plant - not terribly prohibitive when energy executives factor in likely future prohibitions on CO2 and other emissions, as well as the cost of retrofitting existing coal plants. Finally, large companies such as GE, Bechtel, Fluor, Peabody Coal and others are taking a close look at IGCC and developing a cookiecutter approach to design and engineering that is driving development costs down.

The U.S. Department of Energy, meanwhile, is pushing a Clean Coal Power Initiative to create commercial-scale demonstrations of proprietary technologies designed to improve emissions from coal-fueled electric generating plants. This is also fueling a renewed interest in clean coal. One such grant for nearly $20 million was given to Peabody Energy Corp. to build an ultra-clean $500 million coal power plant in northwestern New Mexico. 

Construction is expected to take three to four years, but Peabody needs to line up partners, investors and customers for the 300-megawatt plant’s energy before breaking ground. Under the proposal for what is dubbed the Mustang Energy Project, Peabody and other partners would demonstrate new technology to reduce emissions to miniscule levels. The byproducts from the pollution control effort would create enough granular fertilizer for one million acres of farmland. 

Although still in the planning stage. the Mustang project is significant because it underscores the federal government’s commitment to seed clean coal technology development. According to GE Energy, in an IGCC system coal is converted into syngas, which after cleanup is used as the primary fuel for the gas turbine in a combined-cycle system. The cleanup process  is more efficient and carries a lower cost than traditional post-combustion cleanup methods. A GE Energy spokesman says the company believes “the time is rapidly approaching for IGCC to assume a greater role in coal-based power generation.” 

Among the factors providing the momentum are:

• Gasification has become more reliable and is already used in the petrochemical and chemical processing industries.
• The technology is benefiting from continued advancements in natural gas turbine technology.
• Current plant design incorporates more advanced technology and has moved beyond the mere prototype stage.
• IGCC can be used to not only produce power from coal, but also syngas from the gasification process that can be used to produce higher-value chemicals.

Despite these positives, IGCC still contains several uncertainties. Capital costs for the plants are high. It’s not clear if state utility regulators will be willing to pass the higher costs on to ratepayers or place more of a financial burden on the utilities. 

Although IGCC technology has been around for awhile, it’s the current worldwide spike in energy prices that’s instigating a new look at the technology. If prices swoon, so could interest in IGCC and clean coal. 

Finally, while GE, Bechtel and others have grand ambitions for IGCC, much of the focus still remains in the planning stage.

Despite this, many officials believe energy industry executives need to pay close attention to the potential impact of IGCC on their businesses. “This next year is pivotal in the deal-making process for utility executives,” says Illinois Commissioner Hadley. “A lot of folks are looking at options. The time is now to start planning for energy that is going to be delivered in the next decade.”

As the energy planning process gains momentum, even much of the environmental lobby is lining up behind IGCC. David Hawkins, director of the climate sector of the National Resources Defense Council, says it would do a lot to clean up the domestic coal industry. “It’s not as clean as a natural gas plant, but it’s the cleanest you can get,” says Hawkins, adding that an estimated 120 gigawatts of new domestic coal capacity will be needed between now and 2025. With tougher rules expected to control CO2 emissions in future years, Hawkins believes it will be increasingly difficult and expensive to obtain the permits for traditional coal plants, a fact industry executives and investors have to factor in as they plan for plants that won’t be online for another 10 years. “You have to make sure any new policies in the future won’t adversely affect the financial bottom line of the plant you are planning,” he says. That alone could help swing the pendulum over to clean burning coal technologies such as IGCC.