Norwich Park (East Pit) coal mine
The EIS process for this project has now concluded.
Project summary
BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) proposes to develop East Pit at its existing Norwich Park Coal Mine south of Dysart in central Queensland, 256 kilometres (km) southwest of Mackay. East Pit is designed to enable Norwich Park Mine to maintain its coal production and extend the life of the mine. Existing mining activities at Norwich Park Mine are subject to an Environmental Authority and an approved Environmental Management Overview Strategy.
BMA submitted to the department an application for a replacement environmental authority for the existing and proposed operations. The department determined that the application was non-standard and that an environmental impact statement (EIS) was required. The department assessed the project using the EIS process set out in part 1 of chapter 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act).
Norwich Park East Pit is to be mined by conventional open cut methods using dragline in combination with truck and shovel. Mining is to occur seven days per week to depths from 35 to 80m below surface level and production will be on average 0.5 Mt/a. Existing mine infrastructure is to accommodate the Norwich Park (East Pit) operations with all coal to be processed at the existing Norwich Park Industrial Area. All Norwich Park (East Pit) operations are to be staffed by current Norwich Park employees. The life of the operation is expected to be about 16 years.
The Norwich Park East Pit is expected to disturb an area of 263ha over approximately 16 years, with a total area of approximately 450 hectares (including ex-pit dumps, haul roads, access tracks and a dragline walk road) to be potentially disturbed over the life of the proposal. Progressive rehabilitation aims to return a combination of grazing and bushland to all disturbed areas.
Establishment of Norwich Park East Pit will require the removal of approximately 85ha of Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) dominant and co-dominant communities containing two endangered regional ecosystems under the Vegetation Management Act 1999. These are also listed threatened ecological communities under Part 3 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth).
The EIS assessment report was issued to BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance in January 2008, completing the EIS process under Chapter 3, Part 1 of the EP Act.
Commonwealth assessment process
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
This project was determined to be a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The controlling provisions related to listed threatened species and communities. The EIS assessment report contains an assessment of the significance of impacts of the action on the controlling provisions. A copy of the EIS assessment report has been given to the Commonwealth Environment Minister.
Documents
- EIS assessment report 1.6 MB) (January 2008)
- Final terms of reference 335 KB) (December 2005)
- Draft terms of reference 462.5 KB) (August 2005)
- Initial advice statement describing the project 118.8 KB) (August 2005)
Further information
For further information about the EIS process for the Norwich Park (East Pit) coal mine, please contact the EIS Coordinator on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@detsi.qld.gov.au.