Hunter Mines to be reviewed for rehabilitation's.

BY DANIELLE RIES

The State Government is reviewing mining rehabilitations policies and processes, including management of final voids, in the Hunter region following concerns about the long-term environmental impacts on the mining industry.

The future of thousands of hectares of land will rely on rehabilitation projects to try and replicate other mining rehabilitations projects which has resulted in the revegetation of significant areas.

Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association Vice President John Krey says the government needs to start looking closely at their priorities when it comes to the mines.

"The government should stop granting licenses for open cut mines. The government now should be looking at preserving whatever is left of the upper hunter valley for agriculture, tourism and grape growing".

John Krey also explains that the land will not be of any use without a rehabilitation.

"If the mine areas are not rehabilitated, you have moonscape right through this part of the hunter valley. You can't grow anything on it, even on the rehabilitated stuff. You can't grow crops, all that good farming land that they will be digging up to get coal for will be unusable.

"The regulations should be such that the voids will be back-filled and properly rehabilitated, and that the area of bare ground should be kept to a minimum and the rehabilitation to the followed up right behind the areas of excavation and mining".

State Government is looking to review Hunter mines for rehabilitation.
Image- Newcastle Coal Mines website

Calls To Fill Hunter Valley Open Cut Mine Voids

BY IAN CROUCH

There are calls for the state government to force mining companies to fill open cut mine voids once mining has wrapped up.

A report has found at least 45 final voids are planned or approved across NSW covering an area larger than Sydney Harbour, with the Four largest in the Hunter Valley.

It's feared ground and surface water could turn the voids into gigantic salt water lakes, causing permanent damage to the environment.

However, mining companies are reluctant to back-fill the massive holes as it can cost hundreds of millions of dollars

Photo Courtesy theconversation.com