The mine has been named as a finalist in the environmental excellence section of the NSW Minerals Council Health, Safety, Environment and Community Conference 2017 Excellence Awards.

Wilpinjong, which is located 40km east of Mudgee, is also one of the lowest cost coal mines in Australia. 

“What sets the program apart from more conventional rehabilitation projects is the establishment of an internal operational support team integrated within the mining process to undertake rehabilitation activities using green manure crops and microbes to improve the soil resource,” the NSWMC said.

“Through this approach, Wilpinjong has achieved progressive rehabilitation with reduced operational and mine closure risks and decreased costs.”

Peabody claims it is committed to its environmental commitments.  

In the US, Peabody's former Viking Mine-Knox Pit was recently honored by the Indiana Society of Mining Reclamation for the company's efforts to reclaim prime farmland and wildlife habitat, improve stream water quality and enhance riparian and aquatic habitat. 

The work at Viking included reclaiming pre-SMCRA refuse areas that were left in the mine by a previous owner, which improved stream water quality.