Shenhua Watermark mine on NSW Liverpool Plains threatened to be derailed by core habitat for koalas
MonMonday 15
MarMarch 2021 at 9:26pm
Four breeding females are among 25 koalas mapped on the mine site in a four-year period.
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A burgeoning koala habitat is threatening to complicate plans for a billion-dollar coal mine on the Liverpool Plains in north-west NSW.
Key points:
Koala researchers say this area is now core habitat and should not be destroyed
Shenhua says it is consulting widely as it prepares a Koala Plan of Management
The Shenhua Watermark mine was first proposed in 2008, and the company applied to the NSW government for a mining licence last year.
South32 may seek NSW government intervention over coal snub afr.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from afr.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
South32 wants to extend its mine into two new areas adjacent to Avon and Cordeaux Dams thereby extending the mine’s life until 2048 and extracting an additional 78 million tonnes of coal.
There is strong opposition to the mine’s expansion, including from local and state environment groups, Water NSW, the Independent Advisory Panel on Underground Mining (IAPUM) and climate scientist Tim Flannery. Many gave evidence at the IPC public hearings in December.
Water NSW opposes the mine’s expansion because of the expected damage to water quality and quantity. It said 25 swamps would be affected by the diversion of water caused by subsidence and cracking.
South32 wants to extend its mine into two new areas adjacent to Avon and Cordeaux Dams thereby extending the mine’s life until 2048 and extracting an additional 78 million tonnes of coal.
There is strong opposition to the mine’s expansion, including from local and state environment groups, Water NSW, the Independent Advisory Panel on Underground Mining (IAPUM) and climate scientist Tim Flannery. Many gave evidence at the IPC public hearings in December.
Water NSW opposes the mine’s expansion because of the expected damage to water quality and quantity. It said 25 swamps would be affected by the diversion of water caused by subsidence and cracking.
New South Wales greenlights Maxwell coal mine
New South Wales .
(Image courtesy of Malabar Coal).
The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission granted consent to Maxwell Ventures for the development of its namesake underground coal mine in the Muswellbrook Local Government Area, southeastern Australia.
In its decision, the Commission points out that the project’s potential impacts on surrounding communities can be “reasonably and satisfactorily” identified, avoided, mitigated and managed, as long as the company complies with the 169 conditions imposed on its development consent.
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The $509-million Maxwell project is hosted on the site of the former Drayton open-cut mine, operated by Anglo American until 2016