The Challenge
Illawarra Coal’s underground mines are located within areas that contain a diverse range of land uses. These include residential areas (large suburban areas, towns and villages), water supply and other catchment areas around Wollongong, bushland, agricultural land, state recreational areas and industrial areas. The areas also include major infrastructure features including gas pipelines, power lines, highways, railway lines, roads, bridges and water supply infrastructure.
While coal mining has been a feature of the Illawarra region for more than 150 years, both the demographics of the region and the expectations of the local communities and regulators have changed dramatically in recent times. Greater environmental awareness, increasing stakeholder expectations and an increasingly demanding legislative framework in relation to the impacts of underground coal mining now present significant challenges for Illawarra Coal. As a result, Illawarra Coal recognises the importance of working closely with government and communities in the region to address stakeholder issues in the planning and management of mining activities.
Identifying Community Issues
Eighteen months ago Illawarra Coal commenced an extensive stakeholder consultation program to identify stakeholder issues related to its underground mining operations. The program includes 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 Shires has also been undertaken to assess community attitudes towards mining.
The key stakeholder issues and needs identified in the consultation program include:
a. Greater consultation and participation in relation to mining activities;
b. More comprehensive environmental impact assessment;
c. Lack of trust in the company;
d. ‘sensitive mine planning’, particularly in relation to mining under rivers;
e. improved monitoring and management of river subsidence impacts; and
f. improved consultation in relation tosubsidence impacts on private property and the process for impact mitigation.
THE SOLUTION
Addressing the Issue
Following the program of stakeholder consultation, a series of company workshops were conducted to discuss stakeholder issues and to develop strategies to address each issue. The development and implementation of a new Integrated Mine Planning Process (IMPP) was identified as a key strategy to address stakeholder issues 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.
Key Elements of the Approach
Previously individual mining operations were responsible for their own mine planning. With the increasing expectations of the community, and more stringent legislative criteria, Illawarra Coal has adopted a more holistic approach to medium term mining planning. This approach will assist in the meeting the expectations of the broader community and regulators and will improve the long term sustainability of Illawarra Coal’s operations.
The key elements of the IMPP include:
a. continuing stakeholder consultation and participation;
b. comprehensive baseline environmental assessment;
c. consideration of environmental impacts and mitigation measures during the assessment of alternate mine plan options;
d. consideration of monitoring results from past mining activities;
e. monitoring and stakeholder reporting programs.
Developing the IMPP
In order to build an approach with the ownership of all stakeholders, the development of the IMPP has involved both internal and external consultation. The process followed for the development of the IMPP is illustrated in Figure 1. Extensive stakeholder consultation was required to identify issues associated with Illawarra Coal’s mining activities, and as indicated this was achieved through personal stakeholder meetings and survey methods. The consultation phase was followed by a series of company workshops and meetings in which the draft integrated mine planning process was developed with key planning and operations personnel. The development process then involved company approval and internal communication of the draft integrated mine planning process to the broader planning and operations staff within Illawarra Coal.
The purpose of this information sheet is to present the draft integrated mine planning process to key government agencies and community stakeholders. Community stakeholder presentations be given to environmental and community organisations and business and indigenous representatives to obtain their feedback on the process. The IMPP will then be finalised taking into account stakeholder feedback, and then implemented at all Illawarra Coal mining operations.
FIGURE 1
Development of the Integrated Mine Planning Process
Why is Detailed Planning Necessary?
Mining of coal by longwall methods involves considerable expenditure and considerable lead time (up to 3 years) for the development of underground access roadways before mining can commence in a longwall mining panel. It is not desirable, and potentially not economically feasible to make significant changes to longwall mining plans at short notice after the mining of a panel has commenced. The IMPP involves a holistic approach to the development of a ‘sensitive mine plan’ for the total minable resource area for each operation, 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 mitigating strategies, and also minimises business risk to the company associated with potential changes to mine plans.
Overview of the IMPP
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.
Surface features are considered under three categories being natural features, infrastructure and private properties. These categories reflect the different stakeholder consultation processes and different regulatory regimes that need to be addressed within the longwall mine planning process, and when considering the mitigation of subsidence effects. For example, stakeholder consultation for subsidence effects on private property or infrastructure will involve the owner and the Mine Subsidence Board (MSB), whereas it is necessary to consult with a range of stakeholders in relation to potential subsidence effects on natural features.
The Legislative Context
The elements of the proposed IMPP are consistent with the key requirements of the Government’s process for longwall mining approvals (ie. the new Subsidence Management Plan Process which will be implemented from early 2004). This process is administered by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
FIGURE 2
Illawarra Coal’s Mine Planning and Consultation Process
STEPS INVOLVED IN THE MINE PLANNING PROCESS
The IMPP is divided into fi ve sequential steps, as outlined in Figure 2.
The following sections provide an overview of each of the IMPP steps.
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 the 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 the 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 utilise proven mitigation or remediation of subsidence impacts on sensitive features and/or avoid undermining sensitive surface features identifi ed 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 preferred mine plan/s provide an initial focus for the detailed sensitivity assessment of surface features conducted in Step 3.
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 any mine planning constraints. Surface features are considered under three categories, based on different stakeholder consultation processes and different regulatory approval requirements.
For example, baseline assessment is undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, leading to the revision of the sensitivity assessment (for infrastructure, natural features and private property) from Step 1. A subsidence impact assessment will be undertaken for natural features that will potentially be undermined, and potential mitigation measures will be identified for significant features. A need for ongoing monitoring and assessment will also be identifi ed during this step.
STEP 4
Detailed Mine Planning
Step 4 involves a detailed re-evaluation of alternative mine plans based on the results of Step 3. This review is conducted by a 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 associated mitigation measures.
STEP 5
Preparation of Mining
Approval Application
This step involves the preparation of a Subsidence Management plan (SMP) to support the subsequent longwall mining approval application. The SMP will include the following:
i. Impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures for natural features prepared in consultation with relevant government and community stakeholders;
ii. Infrastructure Management Plans (IMP’s) for major infrastructure. These are prepared in consultation with individual infrastructure owners, and provide a documented approach to managing infrastructure subsidence; and
iii. Property Subsidence Management Plans (PSMP’s) for private properties. Property owners will be consulted in relation to the timing and extent of property subsidence. For non-residential properties, PSMP’s will be developed in consultation with the property owner.
In regard to subsidence effects on infrastructure and private property, the Mine Subsidence Board (MSB), an independent government organisation, is responsible for the management of subsidence impacts on man made structures under the Mine Subsidence Compensation Act (1961). Consultation with the MSB will be conducted where necessary during the development of IMP’s. For private properties, owners will be consulted on the role of the MSB in managing subsidence effects. For non-residential properties, PSMP’s will address the management of subsidence effects that are not the responsibility of the MSB such as impacts on agricultural productivity or business use of the property.
Step 5 will be repeated for each longwall mining application required over the life of each mining operation.
The DMR’s Subsidence Management Plan Process involves further rounds of community consultations.
How will the Process be Implemented?
Illawarra Coal has developed a centralised mine planning team incorporating expertise from exploration, operational, environmental, community and mine planning areas to implement the integrated mine planning process. The team’s objective will be to ensure consistency of approach in implementing the IMPP across the company’s operations.
Timing
As noted earlier in this information sheet, there is a 2 to 3 year lead-time required before changes can be made to an operating longwall mine. It is therefore necessary to have a transitional phase for each Illawarra Coal operation during which the IMPP can be implemented and any subsequent modifications to the mine plan can be introduced.