Land

Rio Tinto Coal Australia (RTCA) is a large land owner in the communities in which we operate. While the location of mining is largely dictated by the location of the coal seams, environmental and cultural heritage assessments also assist in determining which land is suitable for mining and related activities.  The land we mine is also often just a small portion of the land that we own and manage.

Our approach

Throughout the life of a mine, we develop a range of environmental plans to manage our impact on the land where we operate. These plans form part of each mine's Environmental Management System which is certified to the IS014001 international standard and provide a framework for undertaking rehabilitation and other land management programmes.

Rehabilitation involves reshaping and revegetating land that has been mined with a selection of plant species that create habitats which improve biodiversity and restore the value of the land for use by future generations. Rehabilitation also reduces erosion by limiting the areas of a mine exposed to wind and water.

The rehabilitation process may also involve the establishment of erosion control structures, such as contour banks, drainage lines and dams.

Managing weeds, feral animal control and maintaining stream integrity are also key priorities for our land management practices.  Each RTCA site develops strategies to address these issues.

In addition to these processes, our underground sites also require the management of subsidence so that we minimise any potential impacts on the surface waterways above the mine.

We only use land for a limited time - the life of a mine - and we want to ensure that in the future our land is available for other uses, such as conservation, agriculture and housing. That is why we develop mine life plans which outline the final land use once mining has ceased. Consultation with the local community is an important aspect of the development of these plans.

Results

Read about our land disturbance and rehabilitation results in 2007.

Read our case study on Coal & Allied's Lower Hunter Lands project.

Read more about our approach to biodiversity.

Read Blair Athol Mine's results

Read Kestrel Mine's results

Read Hail Creek Mine's results