A resources giant is one step closer to starting its major coal mine expansion.
Glencore has State Government approval for its new Glendell Continued Operations Project in Ravensworth, 99km northwest of Newcastle.
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment recently recommended the project for Independent Planning Commission (IPC) NSW assessment.
“Notwithstanding the project’s unavoidable impacts to the Ravensworth Homestead, the department considers that the benefits of the project outweigh its costs, and that the project is approvable, subject to stringent conditions,” the department said in its assessment report.
IPC NSW will soon examine the extension’s merits and several conditions from the department. A final decision is expected to be announced sometime in mid-2022.
“The department has recommended a comprehensive and precautionary suite of conditions to ensure that the project (if approved) would comply with acceptable criteria and standards, the impacts would be consistent with those predicted by Glencore in its documentation, and that residual impacts would be effectively minimised, managed and compensated,” the report said.
The proponent plans to spend up to $515 million on the Glendell Pit Extension. This new mine infrastructure area is promised to extract a further 135 million run-of-mine tonnes (Mt) for the next 21 years, with an annual increased production rate of up to 10 Mt (122.2 per cent more than the existing 4.5 Mtpa capacity).
Various new heavy and light vehicle access roads and other associated infrastructure will be required. This includes realigning a section of Hebden Road, diverting Yorks Creek and relocating the historic Ravensworth Homestead.
Coal will continue to be processed at the existing Mount Owen Coal Handling and Preparation Plant and transported via rail.
This work is hoped to sustain the Mount Owen Complex’s existing workforce of 690 people and create a further 350 new construction jobs. None of the positions were advertised on Glencore’s careers website at the time of publication.
Click here to read the full assessment report.
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