Land

More than 560 hectares of land rehabilitated

Our approach

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is a large land owner in the areas where we operate. While the location of mining is largely dictated by the location of coal seams, environmental and cultural heritage assessments also determine which land is suitable for mining and related activities.

We support the sustainable development of land resources through planning frameworks that consider the values and needs of all land users. Planning should address issues of land use compatibility on a case-by-case basis, so that multiple outcomes can be generated from the same and adjacent land. We work closely with other land users to ensure sustainable, successful use of this important resource.

Over the life of a mine, we develop a range of environmental improvement plans to manage our impact on the land we manage. These plans provide a framework for undertaking rehabilitation and other land management programmes.

Rehabilitation involves reshaping and revegetating land that has been mined to restore the land for future use. Rehabilitation also reduces erosion by limiting the areas of a mine exposed to wind and water.

The rehabilitation process may involve the establishment of erosion control structures, such as contour banks, drainage lines and dams. Each site develops strategies to manage weeds and feral animals.

Our underground site, Kestrel Mine, is also required to manage subsidence to ensure we minimise any potential impact on overlying land and waterways.

Rehabilitation and disturbance in 2009

In 2009 a total of 926 hectares of land was disturbed across our sites to enable access to coal and construction of associated infrastructure. This was an increase from 517 hectares disturbed in 2008. Increased land disturbance was largely at Hail Creek Mine and Hunter Valley Operations where the establishment of new mining areas required an increase in disturbance.

More than 560 hectares of land was rehabilitated, reflecting an increase in our rate of rehabilitation during 2009 to about 60 per cent from about 50 per cent in 2008 (261 hectares rehabilitated in 2008). A key contribution was the completion of a significant area of rehabilitation at our Kestrel Mine.

*Clermont project is not currently included in this data, pending its transition to operating phase.