Anvil Hill Mine Mod 4 - New Mine Plan
Xstrata discontinues its pre-approved Centennial Coal Anvil Hill Mine Plan to expedite the higher intensity Xstrata Mangoola Mine Plan.
1 Xstrata Mangoola Mine Factsheet 1 30 April 2009
2 Xstrata Mangoola Mine Factsheet 2 18 July 2009
3 Mangoola Coal 500kV Powerline Factsheet 2 - 23 October 2009
4 Transgrid 500kV Powerline Relocation Application [on behalf of Xstrata Mangoola P/L]
5 The Director-Generals Requirements for the Xstrata Mangoola Mine Application
6 Preliminary Environmental Assessment (Transgrid) & Xstrata Mangoola
7 Wybong Action Group Mod 4 Submission
8 Muswellbrook Shire Council Mod 4 Submission
Interim Response: Significantly Higher Environmental Impact of Xstrata Mangoola Mine over Anvil Hill Mine
The New Mangoola Mine is not a modification of the Anvil Hill Mine Plan, it is a completely different Mine and a Mine Plan that:
- invalidates the data and conclusions contained in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment regarding dust, noise, mine operation, rehabilitation, aboriginal archaeology, impact on endangered species etc (see Xstrata's Facts)
- requires FULL Environmental Assessment (see Xstrata's Facts)
- requires Public Exhibition and Consultation Xstrata's Facts)
- plans extraction of the reserve over 15 years in place of 21 - a windfall benefit of $5-8 billion AUD (est) to Xstrata over the shortened mine life,
- permanently (and for all time) diminishes the aboriginal heritage and environmental values of Limb of Addy Hill, Western Rocks, the Wybong Valley and Wallaby Rock ,
- clearing of the Transmission Line Route for 40m each side of the towers and the electromagnetic fields of the Transmission Line will have a significant and permanently detrimental impact on native bee and endangered native bat species resident in caves on Wallaby Rock & Limb of Addy Hill, and present a cleared earth barrier and electromagnetic field barrier to the egress of mammals, reptiles and birds relocating from the advancing mine pit into the Southern Crown Lands and Manobalai Nature Reserve,
- clears some 100 ac additional of old growth (pre-European) Woodland and Shrubland containing high quality ground and hollow habitat that was previously Offset and adjunct to Biodiversity Corridors,
- wholly repudiates the rationale of the Conceptual Biodiversity Corridor Strategy outlined in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment,
- wholly repudiates the rationale of the Biodiversity Offset Strategy outlined in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment,
- disturbs Aboriginal Heritage scatters and sites and encroaches on conservation of Aboriginal Heritage by creating nearby access and cleared, traversable vehicle and foot access,
- wholly repudiates the rationale of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan contained in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment Approval
- wholly disregards the zoning objectives and provisions of the Muswellbrook LEP 2009 and associated DCP.
A Simple and Obvious Example: The Man Made Visual Effect Imposed on the entire Wybong Valley by the proposed Xstrata Mangoola Mine
Below: The Wybong Valley (viewed from the west)
An unobstructed view from Wallaby Rocks (foreground right) to Black Jack Mountain (centre background) to the sandstone ridges of the Manobalai Nature Reserve South-Eastern Crown Land (far left)
Below: The Impact of the Proposed Transmission Line Relocation
The New Mine Plan
- superimposes a highly obtrusive man-made element on the natural rural visage of Wybong Valley, obscuring and detracting from the ridgelines and aesthetic natural features of Black Jack Mountain and Wallaby Rocks, protruding from alongside and above Wallaby Rocks, substantially diminishing its aesthetic values as the most highly visually significant geological feature of the landscape in perpetuity and demeaning the otherwise natural environment, (prohibited under the Muswellbrook LEP 1985 and the Muswellbrook LEP 2008), that is unacceptable,
Below: Wallaby Rocks, as it was, at the exit point for the Transmission Line
Below: Wallaby Rocks, showing proposed Transmission Line
An Alternate 500kV Transmission Line Relocation Route
Below: The Existing, Proposed and Alternate Routes
Below: Topographic Map of Existing, Proposed and Alternate Routes 
Below: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage & Existing, Proposed & Alternate Routes
An Alternate Route:
- is substantially SHORTER than the transmission line relocation proposed by Xstrata Mangoola P/L,
- traverses cleared lands of lesser slope and flatter topography and is largely shielded by placement behind natural ridgelines,
- does NOT impact on identified old growth (pre-European) Woodland and Shrubland with high habitat value, intact ground and mid canopy, extensive variety and large number of hollows,
- retains the integrity of the rationale of the Conceptual Biodiversity Corridor Strategy, the rationale of the Biodiversity Offset Strategy outlined in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment and the rationale of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan contained in the Anvil Hill Environmental Assessment Approval,
- has nil impact on native flora and fauna species, rock shelters and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage sites,
In fact an alternate route:
- overpasses the raw water dam,
- overpasses heavily grazed, heavily disturbed, substantially cleared areas of grassland that are cleared for roadways,
- utilises cleared areas for tower placement,
- releases resources,
- does not run any more parallel to Wybong Road than either existing or proposed routes,
- does not detrimentally impact the visual amenity of Wallaby Rocks or the Wybong Valley and District.
Wybong Action Group urges all members of the Community, locally and globally, to inform themselves on Xstrata's new mine plan and prepare comment for the Director-General.
This may be our and your final opportunity to have input into the plans of Xstrata for Anvil Hill and its surrounds. Please take the opportunity to have your opinions heard.
Our proposals (the proposals of the Management Committee, members and the Community) are made in good faith for the benefit of all concerned.