Post on 03-May-2018
Appendix B
Community Consultation & Property Title Information
Bloomfield Colliery Completion of Mining and Rehabilitation
Part 3A Environmental Assessment
November 2008
APPENDIX B
Lot and DP Descriptions for Bloomfield Colliery Project Application Area
LOT DP PART OF BLOCK COMMENTS
36 755260 All
35 755260 All
34 755260 All
48 755260 Part
30 755260 All
29 755260 All
28 755260 All
27 755260 All
26 755260 Part
43 755260 Part
25 755260 Part
24 755260 Part
18 755237 Part
19 755237 Part
20 755237 Part
23 755237 Part
29 755237 Part
13 241097 Part
1 136865 Part
3 1045720 Part
31 755237 Part
4 241097 Part Pipe line
5 241097 Part Pipe line
1 617909 Part Pump station
1 722210 All Road
1 42349 Part Roads
6 241097 Part Pipe line
Council Roads
Crown Road
Hunter Water Pipe line
Community Consultation Brochure Distributed during EA Process
Bloomfield Colliery Completion of Mining and Rehabilitation
Part 3A Environmental Assessment
November 2008
Bloomfield Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
Newsletter One
CommunityInformation
Bloomfi eld Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
The site has a long mining history and coal has been extracted by various means in the area since the mid 1800’s.
Bloomfi eld Open Cut Mine has been operating from 1962 to the present day. Bloomfi eld employs 66 people for
open cut and CHPP operations as well as administration and management.
There are suffi cient open cut coal reserves remaining within CCL761 to continue mining at the current rate for
approximately 10 years. Bloomfi eld currently produces at an average of 500,000 tonnes per annum of saleable
coal and mining will continue in a similar manner to the existing operation.
Bloomfi eld operates under “existing user” provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
(EP&A Act). Changes to that legislation in 2005 has provided an opportunity and framework for Bloomfi eld to
modernise consent for its future operations. Under these changes Bloomfi eld will also formalise its environmental
monitoring and reporting practises.
The EP&A Act was amended in 2005 by the addition of a new Part 3A to handle major projects and infrastructure.
Bloomfi eld Collieries is applying for consent to complete mining operations and rehabilitation work on their existing site.
Bloomfi eld Collieries Pty Limited
(Bloomfi eld) is an Australian owned,
family company that has been
operating on the same site since
1937. It is located south of East
Maitland, lying generally within the
area bounded by the New England
Highway, John Renshaw Drive and
Mt Vincent/Buchanan Road as
shown in red in Figure 1.
Introduction
This newsletter has been produced to
ensure that all neighbouring residents
and community in the local area are
informed of:
• the proposed project application;
• the process being followed with
respect to the environmental
assessment and the project application;
and
• how the residents and members of the
surrounding area can comment on the
project or obtain further information.
Bloomfi elds Main Offi ce at Four Mile Creek Road
Figure 1
Bloomfi eld Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
It is under this new Part 3A that Bloomfi eld is applying for approval from the NSW Department of Planning for its
current and future operations.
Approval to continue use of the existing coal processing infrastructure, including the Coal Handling Preparation
Plant (CHPP) and rail loading facility is currently being applied for by the Abel Underground Mine project, proposed
by Donaldson Coal.
The Application Process
Figure 2
Topdressing operations on rehabilitation
Bloomfi eld’s application applies to the current and
future open cut mining operations that will occur
within the Project Application Area (PA) marked in
orange in Figure 2.
Bloomfi eld currently operates within Consolidated
Coal Lease 761 (CCL761), shown in mauve in
Figure 2
Part 3A of the EP&A Act requires the project to
complete an Environmental Assessment (EA),
including the identifi cation of key environmental
issues that will be addressed in the EA. Key
environmental issues are identifi ed through
the preparation of a Project Application with
Preliminary Assessment.
After key issues have been
determined, a more detailed
Environmental Assessment will be
undertaken.
To assist in identifying the
key environmental issues, an
Environmental Risk Assessment
has been prepared and a Risk
Register developed.
Bloomfi eld Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
Past and Present Operations
The Rathluba underground mine was closed in May 1992. In
1962, a small open cut mine commenced operations using
bulldozers and tractor scrapers. The open cut has continued to
develop with the introduction of electric face shovels and rear
dump trucks, and the use of draglines to remove overburden
from 1986 to 1991. Recently the P&H 5700 Face Shovel was
replaced with an Hitachi EX 5500 Hydraulic Excavator.
Coal extracted from the Bloomfi eld lease is predominantly
thermal coal with some soft coking coal for the Asian export
market. All coal is transported by rail and exported through
the Port of Newcastle using existing coal processing and rail
loading infrastructure.
The Project
Operational staff at Bloomfi eld Open Cut
EX 5500 loading topsoil for stockpiling Future Operations
While it is planned to continue extraction of the economically
viable coal remaining within the PA, Bloomfi eld is not proposing
to change the general manner in which the coal is extracted from
current operations.
Operations related to the stockpiling and washing of coal and
the management of reject material has been addressed in the
Development Consent for the Abel Project, lodged with the NSW
Department of Planning in October, 2006.
Hours of Operation
Mining operations, rehabilitation and maintenance are carried out
24 hrs per day 7 days per week as required, and it is proposed to
continue this arrangement for future works.
Surface Facilities and Infrastructure
The major infrastructure components on site consist
of the following:
• Open cut workshop;
• Bathhouse facilities; and
• Water management systems, including drainage
structures, dams and mine recycling systems.
Existing infrastructure is well maintained and in
good order and as such is considered suffi cient for
the proposed life of mine. No construction of major
infrastructure is proposed as part of this application.
Semi-trailer used for Bloomfi ed washed coal c1940
Bloomfi eld Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
Bloomfi eld has selected a team of specialist consultants to assist them with undertaking the various studies
required for the Environmental Assessment.
Preparation of the Environmental Assessment
5 year old tree plantings on rehabilitated spoil piles These include specialists in:
• Environmental risk assessment;
• Surface hydrology (water studies);
• Groundwater investigations;
• Air quality;
• Noise and vibration study;
• Ecology;
• Archaeology;
• Soils and land capability;
• Visual aspects;
• Socio-economic aspects;
• Greenhouse gas impacts; and
• Community consultation.
Each of these studies
will examine the existing
environment, proposed
completion of mining
operations and rehabilitation
and any impacts that may
occur. They will also include
any measures that will
be required to control or
reduce impacts. Information
provided by the community
on local issues is taken
into consideration in the
preparation of these studies.
S Cut rehabilitation of spoil piles
Bloomfi eld Open Cut – Part 3A Project Application: Community Consultation Bulletin 1 18/04/07
Further Information
If you have any comment on the project or wish to obtain further information please do not hesitate to contact
Mr Steve Dunn at Bloomfi eld Collieries. Steve may be contacted as follows:
Steve Dunn
General Manager Technical Services
THE BLOOMFIELD GROUP
Post PO Box 4
East Maitland NSW 2323
Telephone 61 2 4930 2623
Facsimile 61 2 4933 8940
Email sdunn@bloomcoll.com.au
To date Bloomfi eld has undertaken consultation with the owners of land within the PA, Local Government, State
Government Departments and other Statutory Bodies. An independently chaired Focus Group has been formed to
assist in guiding the Community Consultation process.
Bloomfi eld personnel will be visiting landowners in the immediate area outside of the PA to discuss the project and
answer any questions the community may have regarding the proposal. As specialist studies are completed the
results of these studies and any proposed controls will also be discussed.
A Bloomfi eld website is under fi nal construction. When completed information relating to this application will be
posted on the site. This will include:
• Community Newsletters
• The Project Application (when lodged)
• The various Environmental Assessments as listed earlier in this newsletter
The web address is www.bloomcoll.com.au and will be available in the near future.
Communication and Consultation