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Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd

ABN: 96 118 030 998

Mining Operations Plan

AMENDMENT 1

for the

Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

Prepared by:

May 2010

R.W. CORKERY & CO. PTY. LIMITED

This page has intentionally been left blank

R. W. CORKERY & CO. PTY. LIMITED

Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd

ABN: 96 118 030 998

Mining Operations Plan

AMENDMENT 1

for the

Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

Prepared for:

Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd ABN: 96 118 030 998 PMB 7 SINGLETON NSW 2330

Telephone: (02) 6570 2111 Facsimile: (02) 6570 2180 Email: [email protected]

Prepared by:

R.W. Corkery & Co. Pty. Limited Geological & Environmental Consultants ABN: 31 002 033 712

Brooklyn Office: 1st Floor, 12 Dangar Road PO Box 239 BROOKLYN NSW 2083


Orange Office:62 Hill Street ORANGE NSW 2800


Brisbane Office: Level 19, 1 Eagle Street BRISBANE QLD 4000


Ref No. 642/12 May 2010

INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD - ii - MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine Report No. 642/12


Name of mine Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

Mining Titles/Leases CL382, CL357, ML1437, ML1518, ML1551, ML1630

MOP Commencement Date 30/03/2009 MOP Completion date (nominal) 29/03/2012

Name of leaseholder See table below

Name of mine operator (if different) Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd

Reporting Officer Steven Kovac

Title General Manager, Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd

Signature

………………………………………………

Date

………………………………………………

Lease holders

Mining Title Holder

CL382 VALE Australia (GC) Pty Ltd, JFE Steel Australia (GC) Pty Ltd, JS Glennies Creek Pty Ltd, NS Glennies Creek Pty Limited, POS-GC Pty Ltd and Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited

CL357 Camberwell Coal Pty Limited

ML1437 VALE Australia (GC) Pty Ltd, JFE Steel Australia (GC) Pty Ltd, JS Glennies Creek Pty Ltd, NS Glennies Creek Pty Limited, POS-GC Pty Ltd and Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited




This Copyright is included for the protection of this document

COPYRIGHT

R.W. Corkery & Co. Pty. Limited 2010 and

Integra Coal Operations Pty Ltd 2010

All intellectual property and copyright reserved.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, 1968, no part of this report may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system or adapted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to R.W. Corkery & Co. Pty. Limited.

MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT - iii - INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD Report No. 642/12 Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

CONTENTS Page


1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 5

1.1 HISTORY OF OPERATIONS ................................................................................................ 5 1.1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 5 1.1.2 The Operating Company ........................................................................................... 5 1.1.3 Integra Underground Coal Mine ................................................................................ 7 1.1.4 Integra Open Cut ....................................................................................................... 7 1.1.5 North Open Cut .......................................................................................................... 9 1.1.6 Coal Handling and Preparation Plant ........................................................................ 9

1.2 PROPOSED AND FUTURE OPERATIONS ........................................................................ 10 1.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 10 1.2.2 Integra Underground Project ................................................................................... 10 1.2.3 Integra Open Cut Project ......................................................................................... 13 1.2.4 Coal Handling and Preparation Plant ...................................................................... 13 1.2.5 North Open Cut ........................................................................................................ 13

1.3 CONSENTS, LEASES AND LICENCES ............................................................................. 14 1.3.1 Consents ................................................................................................................. 14 1.3.2 Leases ................................................................................................................. 15 1.3.3 Licences ................................................................................................................. 17

1.4 MINE SITE ........................................................................................................................... 17

1.5 MINE CONTACTS ............................................................................................................... 20

1.6 MINE GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................. 20 1.6.1 Regional Geology .................................................................................................... 20 1.6.2 Mine Geology ........................................................................................................... 21 1.6.3 Resources and Reserves ........................................................................................ 23

1.7 LANDOWNERSHIP ............................................................................................................. 24

1.8 CONSULTATION ................................................................................................................. 24

1.9 DOCUMENT PREPARATION ............................................................................................. 24

2. PRE MOP ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................... 27

2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 27

2.2 TOPOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 27 2.2.1 Regional Topography............................................................................................... 27 2.2.2 Mine Site Topography .............................................................................................. 30

2.3 CLIMATE AND METEOROLOGY ....................................................................................... 30 2.3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 30 2.3.2 Temperature and Humidity ...................................................................................... 30 2.3.3 Rainfall ................................................................................................................. 31 2.3.4 Wind ................................................................................................................. 31

2.4 AIR QUALITY ....................................................................................................................... 31

2.5 NOISE .................................................................................................................................. 33

INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD - iv - MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine Report No. 642/12

CONTENTS Page


2.6 FLORA ................................................................................................................................. 37 2.6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 37 2.6.2 Vegetation Communities .......................................................................................... 37 2.6.3 Noxious Weeds ........................................................................................................ 40 2.6.4 Threatened Flora Species ........................................................................................ 40 2.6.5 Endangered Ecological Communities ...................................................................... 40 2.6.6 Endangered Flora Populations ................................................................................ 41 2.6.7 Conservation Value of Recorded Species ............................................................... 41

2.7 FAUNA ................................................................................................................................. 41 2.7.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 41 2.7.2 Survey Area Fauna .................................................................................................. 41

2.8 ABORIGINAL HERITAGE .................................................................................................... 42

2.9 SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY.......................................................................................... 43

2.10 SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ...................................................................................... 44 2.10.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 44 2.10.2 Regional and Local Catchments .............................................................................. 44 2.10.3 Regional and Local Surface Water Quality .............................................................. 44 2.10.4 Mine Site Catchments .............................................................................................. 46 2.10.5 Mine Site Water Storage Dams ............................................................................... 47

2.11 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 48 2.11.1 Mine Site and Local Aquifers ................................................................................... 48 2.11.2 Groundwater Quality ................................................................................................ 48 2.11.3 Groundwater Usage ................................................................................................. 51

2.12 BUILDINGS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES ........................................................... 51

3. PROPOSED MINING ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................ 51

3.1 EXPLORATION .................................................................................................................... 51

3.2 LAND PREPARATION ......................................................................................................... 51 3.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 51 3.2.2 Vegetation Clearing .................................................................................................. 52

3.2.2.1 Extent of Clearing .................................................................................... 52 3.2.2.2 Clearing Procedures ................................................................................ 52 3.2.2.3 Workforce Awareness and Responsibility ............................................... 54

3.2.3 Soil Removal ............................................................................................................ 54 3.2.3.1 Soil Stripping Methods ............................................................................. 54 3.2.3.2 Trial Soil Stripping - Rehabilitated Areas ................................................. 55 3.2.3.3 Soil Stockpiling Methods .......................................................................... 56 3.2.3.4 Soil Inventory ........................................................................................... 57 3.2.3.5 Workforce Awareness and Responsibility ............................................... 58

3.3 CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................................ 58 3.3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 58 3.3.2 Amenity Bund ........................................................................................................... 59 3.3.3 Internal Haul Roads ................................................................................................. 59 3.3.4 Water Management Structures ................................................................................ 60

MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT - v - INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD Report No. 642/12 Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

CONTENTS Page


3.4 MINING ................................................................................................................................ 63 3.4.1 Mine Layout and Design Criteria ............................................................................. 63 3.4.2 Mining Sequence ..................................................................................................... 63

3.4.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 63 3.4.2.2 Open Cut Area ......................................................................................... 64 3.4.2.3 Waste Rock Emplacement Areas ............................................................ 64

3.5 MINING METHODS AND PROCEDURES .......................................................................... 66 3.5.1 Open Cut Mining Operations ................................................................................... 66 3.5.2 Blasting ................................................................................................................. 67

3.5.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 67 3.5.2.2 Blasting Criteria ....................................................................................... 67 3.5.2.3 Blasting Controls and Safeguards ........................................................... 68 3.5.2.4 Blast Notification and Inspections ........................................................... 69 3.5.2.5 Blast Monitoring and Inspections ............................................................ 70

3.5.3 Equipment ................................................................................................................ 71 3.5.4 Hours of Operations ................................................................................................. 72 3.5.5 Workforce Awareness and Responsibility ............................................................... 72

3.6 MINERAL PROCESSING .................................................................................................... 72

3.7 WASTE MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................... 72 3.7.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 72 3.7.2 Waste Rock .............................................................................................................. 73 3.7.3 Non-production Wastes ........................................................................................... 74

3.7.3.1 General Wastes ....................................................................................... 75 3.7.3.2 Oil and Grease ........................................................................................ 75 3.7.3.3 Sewage .................................................................................................... 75 3.7.3.4 Scrap Metal and Steel ............................................................................. 75

3.8 ROM AND PRODUCT COAL STOCKPILES ....................................................................... 75

3.9 WATER MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................... 76 3.9.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 76 3.9.2 Management Objectives .......................................................................................... 77 3.9.3 Sediment Dams ....................................................................................................... 78 3.9.4 Water Management Procedures .............................................................................. 78

3.10 HAAZARDOUS MATERIALS............................................................................................... 80

4. PROPOSED REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES DURING THE MOP TERM .................................. 80

4.1 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ..................................................................................... 80

4.2 REHABILITATION STATUS AT MOP COMMENCEMENT ................................................ 81

4.3 PROPOSED REHABILITATION STATUS AT MOP FINISH ............................................... 82

4.4 BUILDINGS .......................................................................................................................... 83

4.5 REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED LAND ......................................................................... 83 4.5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 83 4.5.2 Rehabilitation Procedures ........................................................................................ 83

4.5.2.1 Waste Rock Emplacements .................................................................... 83 4.5.2.2 Water Management Structures................................................................ 85 4.5.2.3 Other Disturbed Areas ............................................................................. 85

4.5.3 Summary of Proposed Rehabilitation ...................................................................... 85

4.6 WATER MANAGEMENT (REHABILITATED LAND) ........................................................... 87

INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD - vi - MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine Report No. 642/12

CONTENTS Page


4.7 OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................................................... 87

4.8 REHABILITATION MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE ................................................... 88

4.9 REHABILITATION TRIALS AND RESEARCH .................................................................... 89

5. FINAL REHABILITATION ............................................................................................................. 89

5.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 89

5.2 REHABILITATED AREAS AND FEATURES ....................................................................... 90

5.3 REMAINING FEATURES ..................................................................................................... 90 5.3.1 Final Landform ......................................................................................................... 90 5.3.2 Final Land Use ......................................................................................................... 91

5.4 REHABILITATION PLANNING CRITERIA .......................................................................... 91

6. ENVIRONMENTAL AND REHABILITATION RISK IDENTIFICATION ........................................ 94

7. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONTROLS ....................................................................... 97

7.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 97

7.2 AIR POLLUTION .................................................................................................................. 97 7.2.1 Environmental Management Controls ...................................................................... 97 7.2.2 Monitoring ................................................................................................................ 99

7.3 EROSION AND SEDIMENT AND SURFACE WATER POLLUTION ................................ 100 7.3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 100 7.3.2 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 100 7.3.3 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 104

7.4 GROUNDWATER POLLUTION ......................................................................................... 105 7.4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 105 7.4.2 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 106

7.5 MONITORING PROGRAM ................................................................................................ 107

7.6 CONTAMINATED POLLUTED LAND ................................................................................ 108

7.7 THREATENED FLORA AND FAUNA ................................................................................ 108 7.7.1 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 108 7.7.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 110

7.8 WEEDS .............................................................................................................................. 110 7.8.1 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 110 7.8.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 111

7.9 BLASTING .......................................................................................................................... 111 7.9.1 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 111 7.9.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 112

7.10 OPERATIONAL NOISE ..................................................................................................... 114 7.10.1 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 114 7.10.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 115

7.11 VISUAL, STRAY LIGHT ..................................................................................................... 120 7.11.1 Environmental Management Controls .................................................................... 120 7.11.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 121

MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT - vii - INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD Report No. 642/12 Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine

CONTENTS Page


7.12 ABORIGINAL HERITAGE .................................................................................................. 121 7.12.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 121 7.12.2 Environmental Management Controls ................................................................... 121

7.13 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION ...................................................................................... 122 7.13.1 Environmental Management Controls ................................................................... 122

7.14 BUSHFIRE ......................................................................................................................... 123

7.15 HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATION ............................................................................... 123 7.15.1 Environmental Management Controls ................................................................... 123 7.15.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 124

7.16 METHANE DRAINAGE / VENTILATION ........................................................................... 124

7.17 PUBLIC SAFETY ............................................................................................................... 125 7.17.1 Environmental Management Controls ................................................................... 125 7.17.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 125

8. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 126 APPENDICES

Appendix 1 Project Approval 06_0073 .................................................................................................. 145 PLANS

Plan 1 Mine and Context ............................................................................................................... 131 Plan 2 Pre MOP Environment ....................................................................................................... 133 Plan 3 Proposed Land Preparation ............................................................................................... 135 Plan 4 Proposed Mining Activities ................................................................................................. 137 Plan 5 Proposed Rehabilitation ..................................................................................................... 139 Plan 6 Final Rehabilitation ............................................................................................................. 141 FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Local Setting ........................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 1.2 North Open Cut Mine Site Layout ........................................................................................ 11 Figure 1.3 Locality Plan and Mineral Authorities ................................................................................... 16 Figure 1.4 Stratigraphy and Coal Seams .............................................................................................. 22 Figure 1.5 Indicative Geological Cross Section ..................................................................................... 23 Figure 1.6 Landownership and Residences .......................................................................................... 25 Figure 2.1 Regional Topography ........................................................................................................... 29 Figure 2.2 Annual and Seasonal Wind Roses ....................................................................................... 32 Figure 2.3 Environmental Monitoring Locations .................................................................................... 35 Figure 2.4 Glennies Creek Catchment .................................................................................................. 45 Figure 2.5 Glennies Creek Water Quality .............................................................................................. 46 Figure 2.6 Mine Site Catchments .......................................................................................................... 47 Figure 3.1 Surface Water Control Structures ........................................................................................ 61 Figure 3.2 Surface Water Diversion Design Features ........................................................................... 63 Figure 7.1 Environmental Monitoring Locations .................................................................................. 101

INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD - viii - MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine Report No. 642/12

CONTENTS Page


TABLES Table 1.1 Development Consents and Project Approvals .................................................................... 14 Table 1.2 Mineral Authorities ................................................................................................................ 15 Table 1.3 Licences ............................................................................................................................... 18 Table 1.4 Plies to be Extracted ............................................................................................................. 21 Table 1.5 Description of Coal Seams within the Pit Shell .................................................................... 23 Table 1.6 Required Management Plans and Monitoring Programs ..................................................... 28 Table 2.1 Average Monthly Temperatures and Humidity ..................................................................... 30 Table 2.2 Mean and Maximum Composite Monthly Rainfall Data ....................................................... 31 Table 2.3 Deposited Dust ..................................................................................................................... 33 Table 2.4 Average Annual PM10 and TSP Concentrations ................................................................... 33 Table 2.5 Ambient Noise Environment - March 20051, 2 ....................................................................... 34 Table 2.6 Noise Impact Criteria ............................................................................................................ 37 Table 2.7 Fauna Species Recorded within the Fauna Survey Area .................................................... 41 Table 2.8 Summary of Sites Containing Archaeological Deposits ....................................................... 42 Table 2.9 Soil Mapping Unit Descriptions ............................................................................................ 43 Table 3.1 Vegetation Communities to be Cleared................................................................................ 52 Table 3.2 Accountable Positions and Tasks (Vegetation Clearing) ..................................................... 54 Table 3.3 Soil Stripping Suitability and Procedures ............................................................................. 55 Table 3.4 Soil Balance .......................................................................................................................... 57 Table 3.5 Accountable Positions and Tasks (Soil Stripping and Stockpiling) ...................................... 58 Table 3.6 Diversion Channel Specifications ......................................................................................... 62 Table 3.7 Estimated Waste Rock Placement Volumes ........................................................................ 66 Table 3.8 Indicative Overburden Blast Design Parameters ................................................................. 67 Table 3.9 Blast Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 70 Table 3.10 Typical Mining Equipment .................................................................................................... 71 Table 3.11 Hours of Operation ............................................................................................................... 72 Table 3.12 Accountable Positions and Tasks ........................................................................................ 73 Table 3.13 Provisional Production and Waste Schedule ....................................................................... 76 Table 4.1 Tree and Shrub Species ....................................................................................................... 85 Table 4.2 Summary of Proposed Rehabilitation ................................................................................... 86 Table 6.1 Risk Identification Matrix for Mine Site Activities .................................................................. 96 Table 7.1 Glennies Creek Monitoring Frequency and Method ........................................................... 105 Table 7.2 Water Monitoring Parameter Suites ................................................................................... 106 Table 7.3 Dam Water Discharge Criteria ........................................................................................... 106 Table 7.4 Groundwater Monitoring Program ...................................................................................... 107 Table 7.5 Groundwater Quality Monitoring Parameters ..................................................................... 108 Table 7.6 Groundwater Trigger Levels ............................................................................................... 108 Table 7.7 Blast Monitoring Locations ................................................................................................. 113 Table 7.8 Blast Impact Assessment Criteria ...................................................................................... 113 Table 7.9 Noise Monitoring Locations ................................................................................................ 116 Table 7.10 Meteorological Measurement Parameters ......................................................................... 117 Table 7.11 Bushfire Hazard – Activities and Controls .......................................................................... 124

PLATES

Plate 1.1: An oblique aerial view to the southeast across the Integra Underground Pit Top Facilities in the foreground and Integra CHPP in the middle distance. .................................. 8

Plate 1.2: An oblique aerial view to the northwest towards the Integra Underground Portal Area and Pit Top Facilities. ............................................................................................................. 8

Plate 1.3: View to the west across the rehabilitated northern slopes of the North Pit. ........................... 8 Plate 1.4: View to the north across the South Pit. .................................................................................. 8 Plate 1.5: View to northwest across Integra CHPP. ............................................................................. 10 Plate 1.6: View to the southwest across the Tailings Storage Dam TD2. ............................................ 10

MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT - 1 - INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD Report No. 642/12 Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine


STATUTORY DECLARATION

New South Wales

STATUTORY DECLARATION

OATHS ACT, 1900

EIGHTH SCHEDULE

I, Steven James Kovac, of 9 Knox Close, Singleton in the State of New South Wales, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows:

1. I am the duly appointed General Manager, Integra Coal Operations Pty Limited for Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine.

2. I am authorised to make this Declaration on behalf of the following Lease Holders CL382, ML1437, ML1518, ML1551 and ML1630

VALE Australia (GC) Pty Ltd (ABN: 11 097 238 349). JFE Steel Australia (GC) Pty Ltd (ABN: 68 113 447 466). JS Glennies Creek Pty Ltd (ABN: 75 113 447 055). NS Glennies Creek Pty Limited (ABN: 51 113 447 331). POS-GC Pty Ltd (ABN: 26 113 446 414). Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited (ABN: 29 000 021 652).

CL357 Camberwell Coal Pty Limited (ABN: 17 003 825 018).

3. All works and activities described in the Mining Operations Plan to which this declaration

is attached comply with the conditions of the title of the mining lease (or mining leases) shown in the Mining Operations Plan, and with the conditions of Development Consent and all other relevant Government Agency approvals and licences granted in respect of them.

4. I confirm that all of the works and activities referred to in the previous paragraph lie wholly within the area shown in the Mining Operations Plan and that the tenements (mining leases, colliery holdings, landownership) details of those tenements are correct.

And I make this solemn Declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of the Oaths Act, 1900.

Subscribed and Declared at ……………………………….….

in the State of New South Wales this …….……….. day of……..…….…………in

the year ……….

(sgd) ……………………..….…

before me (sgd) ………..………………….Justice of the Peace

INTEGRA COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD - 2 - MINING OPERATIONS PLAN AMENDMENT Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine Report No. 642/12





FOREWORD TO THE FIRST MOP AMENDMENT

This document has been prepared in response to a number of minor amendments to the operation of the Integra North Open Cut. These amendments include the following.

Minor amendments to the layout of the open cut to extract additional coal adjacent to the low wall of the open cut.

Minor amendment to the layout of the out-of-pit waste rock emplacement.

Construction of three Sedimentation Dams rather than two and associated minor amendments to the layout of the surface water control structures.

Minor amendments to the layout of the Amenity Bund.

Minor amendments to the location of the soil stockpile and consequent adjustment of the Mine Site boundary.

Minor amendment to the location of Haul Road B.

Amendments to the location of noise, blasting and water monitoring locations to reflect changes in landownership and operational requirements.

In addition, amendments to rectify minor errors and omissions have also been made. All amendments are underlined and coloured red for ease of reference.



1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 History of Operations 1.1.1 Introduction The Integra North Open Cut Coal Mine (“North Open Cut”) (formally referred to as the Glennies Creek Open Cut Coal Mine) is located adjacent to the Integra Underground Coal Mine (“Integra Underground”) (formally the Glennies Creek Underground Coal Mine) and immediately north of the Integra Open Cut. The Integra Open Cut, formerly referred to as the Camberwell Coal Mine, comprises two open cut areas, as follows (Figure 1.1).

The former North Pit – mining within the North Pit ceased in 1999 and the pit has been largely backfilled with waste rock. The remaining available areas are undergoing rehabilitation.

The active South Pit - mining within the existing approved South Pit is scheduled for completion in late 2009 to early 2010, although a westerly extension of that pit is currently the subject of an application for Project Approval under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

The North Open Cut, in part, abuts the northern boundary of the former North Pit. Coal from each of the operating coal mines, namely the Integra Underground and the South Pit, together with that from the North Open Cut when it commences operations, will be processed at the Integra Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (“CHPP") from which it will be loaded into railway wagons for transportation to Newcastle for export using the Integra Rail Load-out Facility (Figure 1.1). 1.1.2 The Operating Company Prior to August 2006, the Integra Underground was operated by Glennies Creek Coal Management Pty Ltd and the Integra Open Cut and CHPP by Camberwell Coal Pty Ltd. Each of these Companies are wholly owned by the parties to the Glennies Creek Coal Joint Venture and the Camberwell Coal Joint Venture respectively. In August 2006, those parties agreed to merge the operations of the Camberwell and Glennies Creek Collieries, with the combined operation to be managed by a new Company wholly owned by the parties to the Integra Joint Venture. As a result, the North Open Cut, Integra Open Cut and Integra Underground Coal Mine are currently managed by Integra Coal Operations Pty Limited (“Integra”).



1.1.3 Integra Underground Coal Mine Major interest in the development of the coal resource in the vicinity of the Integra Underground commenced in the mid 1970s with the extensive exploration culminating in the lodgement of a development application for an underground mine in August 1990. Following a Commission of Inquiry in mid 1991, development consent was granted in November 1991. Initial mining operations commenced in October 1996 with major on-site activities commencing in December 1998. Underground mine development commenced in May 1999. Since that time, the Integra Underground Coal Mine has been developed in three stages.

Stage 1 – Development of three entries in the Middle Liddell seam from the highwall of the Camberwell North Pit (May 1999 to April 2000).

Stage 2 – Development of the five heading Northwest Mains to prove mining conditions, and the installation of the initial longwall gateroads (June 2000 to August 2002).

Stage 3 – Installation and operation of a longwall unit with a maximum face width to date of 250m and associated development workings (August 2002 to date).

The surface facilities, located adjacent to the former Oak Park School House, were primarily established during Stages 1 and 2 (Figure 1.1). Plates 1.1 and 1.2 display the current components of the existing operations associated with the Integra Underground Coal Mine. Mining operations at the Integra Underground Coal Mine produce a high quality, semi-hard coking coal for the export market, with the current approved coal production level set at 4.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) Run-of-Mine (ROM) coal. 1.1.4 Integra Open Cut Operations at the Camberwell Coal Mine, as it was then known, commenced in 1991. Since that time, mining operations have been undertaken within the North Pit and the South Pit. Mining ceased in the Camberwell North Pit in 1999 and the bulk of the open cut was backfilled, leaving a small section in the northwestern corner only partially backfilled to enable access to the Integra Underground via portals in the former highwall. Mining commenced in the South Pit in 1997. That operation is approved to extract up to 4.5Mtpa ROM coal by open cut methods. Views of the largely backfilled Camberwell North Pit and activities in the South Pit are presented in Plates 1.3 and 1.4.



Plate 1.1: An oblique aerial view to the

southeast across the Integra Underground Pit Top Facilities in the foreground and Integra CHPP in the middle distance. (Ref: E642-F128)

Plate 1.2: An oblique aerial view to the

northwest towards the Integra Underground Portal Area and Pit Top Facilities. (Ref: E642-F019)

Plate 1.3: View to the west across the

rehabilitated northern slopes of the North Pit. (Ref. E642-F085)

Plate 1.4: View to the north across the South

Pit. (Ref. E642-F118)



1.1.5 North Open Cut

An application for project approval (PA 06_0073) under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) for operation of the North Open Cut was lodged with the Department of Planning on 23 February 2006. This application was accompanied by an Environmental Assessment and associated Specialist Consultants Studies Compendium and sought approval for the following.

Extraction of coal by open cut mining methods from within a pit shell covering approximately 90ha and from three principal coal seams, namely the Middle / Lower Liddell, the Barrett and the Hebden seams.

Transportation of run-of-mine (ROM) coal to the CHPP via a combination of internal haul routes.

Stockpiling of ROM coal at temporary ROM coal stockpile areas located at the top of the active open cut ramp or within the existing RL100 Stockpile Area, with subsequent transportation to the CHPP.

Highwall / auger mining from the northern highwall for a maximum length of approximately 300m using either highwall or auger mining methods to extract coal that would not be amenable to extraction by open cut mining methods.

Programmed placement of waste rock materials into out-of-pit waste rock emplacement, with subsequent placement out-of-pit as well as in-pit.

Progressive construction of surface water control structures, including three Sediment Dams.

Storage and washing of ROM coal and despatch of product coal from the CHPP and placement of fine tailings material within the existing tailings dams.

Progressive reshaping and rehabilitation of all areas of mining-related disturbance.

Those features identified above that are relevant to this MOP are presented on Figure 1.2. Project approval 06_0073 was granted for a period of 10 years by Minister for Planning on 2 December 2008. The notice of approval, including the conditions associated with that approval, are included as Appendix 1. A Mining Operations Plan was prepared for the Integra North Open Cut and approved by the then Department of Primary Industry on 29 April 2009. 1.1.6 Coal Handling and Preparation Plant The CHPP currently has approval to process coal from the North Open Cut, the Integra Open Cut and the Integra Underground Coal Mine until 18 March 2011 after which a further approval will be required (see Section 1.2.4). Plate 1.5 displays the CHPP and Plate 1.6 shows Tailings Dam TD2, the tailings dam currently used to store tailings from the CHPP.



Plate 1.5: View to northwest across Integra

CHPP. (Ref. E642-F140)

Plate 1.6: View to the southwest across the

Tailings Storage Dam TD2. (Ref. E642-F106)

1.2 Proposed and Future Operations 1.2.1 Introduction Applications for project approval in relation to the westerly extension of South Pit (the Integra Open Cut Project) and the progression of Integra Underground into the Hebden and Barrett seams (the Integra Underground Project) are currently in preparation. 1.2.2 Integra Underground Project Proposed future operations at the Integra Underground include:

completion of coal extraction within Longwall Panels 10 to 17 in the Middle Liddell seam (anticipated by financial year 2013 - 4, together with first workings in areas not amenable to longwall mining; and

development of underground access and infrastructure and transfer of underground mining operations to the Hebden and Barrett seams.

An application for project approval for the Integra Underground Project is currently in preparation. The accompanying Environmental Assessment is anticipated to be provided to the Department of Planning for determination of adequacy in early January 2009.

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