Sustainability Priorities
Proposals in this category will be considered by the relevant technical committee, as appropriate.
Management Of Mine Site Environment And Community Issues
In pursuit of sustainable development the industry is calling for research to enable it to continually improve its ability to manage environment and community issues. Research is needed to fill gaps in knowledge and to identify and respond to future issues such that stakeholders have confidence in the industry’s ability to manage and reduce its impacts.
The industry would be pleased to receive submissions addressing the following topics:
License to Operate
- Improved methods for the management and mitigation of the impacts of subsidence, including sustainable impact on aquifers and other water resources.
- Improved methods for managing biodiversity adjacent to, and in association with, mining.
- Improved methods for the prediction and management of dust and noise impacts generated by mining operations and associated infrastructure.
- The amelioration of overpressure, vibration and fumes generated from blasting or other operations on coal mines.
- Economic use or reprocessing of coal processing waste.
- Further understanding of community aspects of the sustainable development of the coal mining industry; including ongoing research, development and demonstration of methods for the efficient reduction of fugitive GHG emissions.
Effective Closure and Lease Relinquishment
- Establish key parameters for sustainable post mining land use, such as native ecosystems, grazing and forestry.
- Improved landform design methodologies with a focus on sustainable closure options.
- Improved methods for coal washery waste disposal with a focus on sustainable land use outcomes.
Water
- Techniques to achieve more efficient use of water leading to reductions in usage.
- Development of innovative management methods for mine waters with a focus on water quality issues.
Improved understanding of the impacts of mining on receiving environments in streams.
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