Sustainability website / Case Studies 2005 / Xstrata coal / Reducing raw water consumption from Hunter River

Reducing raw water consumption from Hunter River

Construction of a 16 kilometre pipeline to link Xstrata Coal's Narama, Liddell, Cumnock and Mount Owen Complex operations in New South Wales enables operations with surplus water to pump water to other operations, reducing the need to draw fresh water from the Hunter River. It also enables the sites to manage discharge requirements during periods of high water flow more effectively. Recycled water is being used for processing in the coal preparation plants at Liddell, Cumnock and Mount Owen and for dust suppression at all sites.

Before pipeline construction began, an environmental and cultural heritage assessment was conducted along the proposed route. To minimise the impact on existing infrastructure, the pipeline was bored under the Lemington Road and followed existing cleared areas wherever possible.

John Watson, Environmental and Community Coordinator at Ravensworth Operations and Cumnock, said significant investigative research was undertaken as part of this project to establish whether a large water storage facility was available for ongoing use at Cumnock.

"Cumnock has a disused underground mine that ceased operation in late 2003 and was sealed as part of mine closure. We estimated that there was about 900 megalitres of storage space in the underground void and, to reduce water levels at Narama, we will pump water into it, which we can then reuse," he said.

"This has directly minimised the requirement for Cumnock to draw fresh water from the Hunter River for its ongoing operation.

"Cumnock's tailings are deposited into an old open cut pit which is open to the underground workings. Mine water permeates through those tailings, settles at the bottom of the mine and is now pumped back to the coal preparation plant and open cut mine for dust suppression."

In addition to completing the pipeline, the operations have introduced a regular water management module to their training programmes, conduct communication sessions to ensure that all employees are aware of the key environmental and water management issues, and have started a campaign to reduce fresh water use.