FOR the first time in a decade, Upper Hunter coalmines rehabilitated more ground than they disturbed in a calendar year, according to new figures produced by the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue.
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The dialogue, established in 2011 to foster better relations between the coal industry and the community, has produced a rehabilitation report for the 17 mines in its area, from 2012 through to the most recent figures available, for 2021.
A 2021 Rehabilitation: industry principles and commitments report shows 514 hectares of newly disturbed land in 2021, compared with 701 hectares of newly rehabilitated land during the same 12 months.
IN THE NEWS:
Disturbed land exceeded rehabilitated land in each of the previous nine years, starting in 2012. The biggest gap was in 2018, when 1666 hectares were newly disturbed and 1071 hectares rehabilitated.
The addition of 701 hectares of rehabilitated land took to the total to 14,746 hectares, which the report says is more than 39 per cent of "all land disturbed by mining in the Upper Hunter".
"At the close of the reporting period, a total of 23,058 hectares of disturbed land is awaiting rehabilitation, which is also an improvement on the opening figure," the report says.
"During the active operation of a mine site, there is only a limited amount of land that is available to be rehabilitated.
"Much of the land reported as disturbed and awaiting rehabilitation, may not actually be available for rehabilitation during the reporting period as it is likely this is being actively used in some capacity by mining operations during the reporting period."
NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said results varied from year to year but the rate was "trending in the right direction".
"The industry is committed to meeting its rehabilitation obligations, including progressively rehabilitating land during operations and returning land to the agreed final land use," Mr Galilee said. "This may be native vegetation, pasture or a range of other uses."
As well as the 17 mine sites whose operators are members of the dialogue, the Singleton-based body includes community and business leaders, environmental groups, residents, government regulators and and representatives of related industries.
REHAB CRITICISM:
Chair Sarah Withell, executive general manager, health, safety and environment, with Whitehaven Coal, said rehabilitation was one of the dialogue's main areas of interest, from the best methods of land rehabilitation through to the post-mining use of final voids.
"It's very pleasing that the most recent figures show that rehabilitation has out-stripped mining disturbance in a sign that mines have reached a steady state of operations and are completing progressive rehabilitation," Ms Withell said.
Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue website here
Ian Kirkwood
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
