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Through the preparation of its NSW Coal and Gas Strategy, the state government is also investigating the need for additional regulatory and management practices, including minimising fumes and their potential impact.
The Bulga mine notified the DoP about a blast on February 8 and the resident lodged the complaint with the department about a further blast on February 14.
Compliance officers from the department’s Singleton office investigated both blasts and were satisfied that on each occasion the blasts appeared to be carried out in accordance with relevant conditions.
“The department is working further with the mine to reduce fume associated with blasts,” the DoP said in its compliance and auditing report for February.
“Compliance officers observed a blast at Bulga mine on February 16 and observed minimal fume, which was contained within the mining area.
“The department continues to work with Xstrata and other coal mining companies to minimise blast fumes.”
Inspections for dust in the open cut coal mines are continuing. During February, compliance officers started conducting regular surveillance inspections, which involved driving past the mines or observing them from a location offsite.
A total of 12 surveillance inspections were conducted for the month and where dust was observed, the officers conducted an onsite mine inspection, without notice, to determine the source of dust.
As a result, three individual minesite inspections were conducted. One site was required to shut down equipment, water carts were required to be reallocated at another site and the third site was found to be satisfactory with no breaches in relation to dust levels.
A further nine scheduled minesite inspections were conducted in relation to blasting, dust, water run-off and noise. A follow-up inspection where a haulage road had been contributing to dirty water run-off observed some improvements, and the officers will follow up on further improvements.
Another inspection in response to a noise complaint found unacceptable noise levels and the mine operator was required to relocate noisy machinery away from a neighbouring property.
