The Collinsville open cut mine has a long history of spontaneous combustion problems but recent outbreaks have alerted local residents and put pressure on management to curtail the problem.

A Glencore spokesman told ICN: “Since we began operating our Collinsville coal mine in September 2013, we have implemented an extensive spontaneous combustion management program.

“During the past week, however, we are managing some minor heatings in some of the mine's legacy areas.

“We are managing and monitoring the odour and have been keeping our direct neighbours, the Queensland Mines Inspectorate and the Department of the Environment aware of progress.”

The Glencore spokesman said the company’s gas monitoring network showed the resulting emissions had very low gas concentration levels and posed no threat to human health.

“However, we acknowledge the inconvenience the odour has caused some of our close neighbours and have been working with them on a case by case basis,” he said.

Glencore reopened the Collinsville in January with an initial workforce of 20 people – a fraction of the 400 who worked there before Thiess’ mine operating contract expired in late August.

Among the changes to reverse two years of financial losses, Glencore not only took over operatorship of the mine but introduced larger capacity equipment, overhauled mine plans, addressed restrictions at the coal preparation plant and launched new workplace agreements.

Gas caused mining operations at Collinsville to cease in April 2012 when it was operated by Thiess.

Thed mine endured a horror month then, with 27 of its employees checking into hospital with gas-related complaints.

The Queensland government’s acting chief inspector of coal mines and senior regional inspectors visited the mine to review progress Thiess had made in implementing the plan at the time.

A senior mines inspector and a departmental hygienist also worked with Collinsville mine management to ensure appropriate safeguards were in place.

“The coal seam at the Collinsville mine is prone to spontaneous combustion because of intrusions and minerals such as iron pyrites found in the surrounding geology,” the spokesman said.

“The Collinsville mine action plan is in response to the directive issued by the Queensland Government Mines Inspectorate to the mine on 24 February 2012. This directive remains in place.”