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RIVERS SOS: BHP Billiton and others urged to commit to mine a safe distance from precious water resources
The RIVERS SOS coalition is seeking to prevent damage to NSW rivers that will be caused by underground ‘longwall’ mining, particularily in the Southern Coalfields of NSW. The coalition is seeking a 1km exclusion zone to protect river systems from longwall mining. Simply stated, longwall mining is a form of underground mining where collapsable ‘longwalls’, structures that provide stability while ore is removed are inserted along the lines of the deposit. Once the ore is extracted they are removed, leading to rapid subsidence.
BHP Billiton in the Souther Coalfields of NSW
BHP Billiton is one of the worst 'river wreckers' , with current expansions of coal mines in the Southern Coalfields of NSW proposed to mine at unsafe distances from important rivers, in a region where their operations have already caused significant and unrepairable damage to water resources.
In the mid 90's the Cataract River flow totally disappeared into the cracking in the river bed to a depth of some 500m into the mine workings and methane and ethane gasses were expelled from the ground measuring up to 20 litres per second in some areas. In spite of efforts at remediation, including grouting in a section of the lower Cataract in 1999, (according to Dept, of Land and Water Conservation, Submission to Dendrobium COI, 2001). "there remains an ongoing loss in the order of 3.0 to 5.3 megalitres per day … despite cessation of mining." This is only one example of the extensive and cumulative damage that has been caused in the region.
Now 3 new mines planned by BHPB in the Southern Coalfields of NSW will mine so close to three rivers that scientists, the local community and over 19 environmental groups agree that they pose unacceptable risks to the water resources of Sydney and its surrounding districts.
1.In the Upper Cateract, BHPB is planning to mine only 50-100m from the river bed, using three longwalls- huge collapsible underground tunnels that are 260m in width. Even BHPB’s own consultants say, in the subsidence management plan that was submitted on 18th of October this year that the river and 18 creeks at this site will probably be cracked. This river is a conduit for drinking water in Sydney (via Upper Canal) and Macarthur (via the nearby Macarthur Water Filtration Plant)
2.At the Upper Georges River, there is a plan to mine only 30m-50m away from the river bed- a new set of longwalls that will continue a previous development that has already wrecked the Georges River behind Appin township).
3) At the Upper Nepean River longwalls are proposed on both sides of the river between Douglas Park and Menangle, at one point only 180 away.
During community consultation meetings regarding these proposals, BHPB’s staff stated that they could not mine in a way’ that would avoid damaging the rivers because of the need to ensure the ‘continuity,’ of their existing mining operations. They also acknowledged that their inability in this regards was due to a lack of planning and forsight on the part of the company.
BHP Billiton Shareholders Sympathetic to calls for protection of rivers: 2004 BHP AGM
An issue close to home and heart for the shareholders attending the BHP annual general meeting in Sydney in 2004, as the city is facing a water crisis- was raised early on in the meeting. Caroline Graham who has lived for three generations along the Nepean Region spoke about the destruction that had occurred along other rivers where this mining practice had occurred. Huge cracks in the river drained away the rivers flow, remediation measures on these rivers continue to fail, and a successful court case found BHPB’s mining operations responsible for the damage. Government documents continue to indicate that up to 90% of the flows are lost in some of these rivers, and efforts to fix the cracks have been largely unsuccessful, with the possibility for successful remediation in serious doubt.
She gave a gripping and emotionally charged speech, recalling her youth spent swimming in the waterholes and enjoying the river. Caroline pleaded with the company not to mine under the Nepean River, and explained how the destruction of the Cataract and Georges rivers had devastated the community.
Later in the meeting, Ray Smith, an ex miner who has worked for BHPB for around 20 years in one of the coal mines in the area joined his voice to hers, outlining that there was plenty of coal in the region and that there was no need to mine under the rivers as there was enough coal to keep the operations running elsewhere in the area.
Both were met by strong applause from shareholders, a message to the board of BHPB that mining that affects rivers in the Nepean is set not only to pose serious environmental and reputational risks, but is also likely to meet major resistance from the shareholding.
MPI is amember of the RiverSOS Coallition. See the RiversSOS website for full details.
For more information, please contact:
Techa Beaumont
Executive Director
Workphone: +61 2 9557 9019
Mobile: +61 (0) 409 318 406
Created: 24 Nov 2005 | Last updated: 24 Nov 2005
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