GLENCORE’S Mangoola open cut mine has long been regarded as one of Australia’s major coal mines, a reputation cemented by a unique award-winning trifecta at the 2019 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.
Its Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) was named overall Australian Mine of the Year, Coal Mine of the Year and also picked up the award for Excellence in Occupational Health and Safety.
Mangoola had previously claimed the Mine of the Year accolade in 2013.
The greenfield 1800t/h CHPP was delivered by QCC Resources and Downer under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract in 2011, and delivered below budget, ahead of schedule and without any lost-term injuries (LTI). In fact, since commencement in 2011, the operating team has remained LTI-free.
QCC engineering operations resources manager Craig Sorenson said the awards were a tribute to the dedicated management and operating team of Glencore employees, as well as multiple contracting companies on site at Mangoola.
“The operators of the Mangoola CHPP have always appreciated the effort that the original design team went to in order to provide what is commonly regarded as a benchmark plant, so when the operating team needed an engineering design to safely remove the run of mine feeder wear plates, they again sought the involvement of the QCC team,” he said.
“QCC designers worked with Glencore’s operations team to design an innovative system to prevent high risk incidents while performing this maintenance activity.
“We are delighted that our design has contributed to the excellent safety record at Mangoola, and for the management and operations team to have been recognised in such a manner.
Mangoola Coal mine operations manager Nick Slater said the health and safety of staff was the leading priority.
“Our CHPP team has done an excellent job in designing a rail and hydraulic system for one of the higher risk maintenance tasks at the plant – replacing chain feeder plates,” he said.
“I’m delighted their important work has been acknowledged in this way.
“Our Mangoola coal operation makes a major contribution to employment, to local businesses and to local government in the Muswellbrook shire council.”
The chain feeder transfers material from the run of mine (ROM) coal bin to the coal sizer, with top and bottom plates bolted to the main frame of the chain-feeder.
Historically, replacing these plates has been a lengthy task undertaken in restricted spaces and under suspended loads.
The Mangoola innovation uses a hydraulic, trolley-mounted lifting table travelling on a rail system, which allows old plates to be removed and railed out, and the new ones to be railed in and lifted squarely into position without exposing employees to suspended loads.
CHPP manager Chris March said by using a combination of rail and hydraulics, the mine was able to take staff away from areas of higher risk, as well as significantly reduce the time needed to replace the plates.
The original project was an alliance contract to design, construct and commission a plant from raw coal receival, crushing and treatment, plant feed with two stage washing using a dense medium cyclone and spirals process, rejects and tailings handling, product coal storage and handling, overland conveying and train loading.
The project began with early stage studies through to Definitive Feasibility (FEL3), full detailed design and EPC management, including diversion and routing of major high voltage power supply lines, plant and process testing and commissioning to handover.
Specifics
The open cut coal operation lies in the Wybong area, 20km west of Muswellbrook and close to the township of Denman.
Based on a large, undeveloped coal reserve of about 150mt, the mine aims to provide a long term, secure and profitable supply of high quality coal, whilst conducting operations in an environmentally responsible manner through the effective management, mitigation and offsetting of environmental impacts.
Mangoola Open Cut continues to extract ROM coal at a rate of up to 13.5mt per annum from the South Pit and Main Pit West.
The mine utilises truck and shovel mining methods to handle overburden and coal.
Overburden is removed to expose the coal for mining, with waste shaped using natural landform design, and progressively rehabilitated.
The resource mined comprises the Great Northern Seam, Fassifern Seams and the Upper Pilot Seam in the Newcastle Coal Measures. Product is thermal coal suitable for both export and domestic use, which is loaded and transported to market via the rail loop connected to the Muswellbrook-Ulan railway line.
History
Initial intensive exploration began at the site in 1999 by Powercoal and Centennial Coal, with a resource of about 180mt of coal at a relatively shallow depth was identified.
Project approval was originally granted in June 2007 for the construction of an open cut mine and related infrastructure.
In 2009, Mangoola Open Cut (then the Anvil Hill Project) was acquired by Xstrata Coal (now Glencore), and mining activities began in September 2010, with the first coal produced in February 2011.
Mangoola operates 24 hours, seven days a week and will employ up to 450 people during the 21-year life of the operation.
Mangoola Coal Continued Operations Project
Approval is being sought for the Mangoola Coal Continued Operations (MCCO) Project to continue its current open cut mining adjacent to the north of the existing mine.
The MCCO Project comprises the following key components:
- Continuation of mining operations within a new mining area located north of the existing operation
- Provide access to about 52mt of coal through to 2030
- Construction of an access road bridge over Wybong Road, to allow the road to remain open
- Construction of water management infrastructure
- Re-alignment of a portion of Wybong Post Office Road
- Continued use of all other existing Mangoola infrastructure items including coal washing and train loading facilities, emplacement areas, workshops and administration facilities
- Ongoing employment opportunities for the existing workforce and continue to use best practice rehabilitation
The MCCO Project Development Application and accompanying environmental impact statements (EIS) were submitted to government in July 2019, and placed on public exhibition from July to August that year.
Following the receipt of community and government agency submissions, a Response to Submissions (RTS) report has been prepared.
Noise
Mangoola Open Cut recognises that noise generated from mine-related activities is a potential impact on nearby residents.
To reduce the level of impact the operation has on noise levels, a number of design and operational controls has been implemented to manage noise generation.
These include:
- The location of the CHPP, coal stockpiles and associated infrastructure near the eastern site boundary to maximise natural topographic shielding and reduce noise impacts on surrounding areas
- The enclosement of CHPP and crushers, and shielding of conveyors
- The construction of a noise bund to the south of the operation
- The positioning of the rail loop to maximise natural topographic shielding, and implementing a 4m high noise barrier on sections of the track
- Using daily noise risk model based on forecast meteorological conditions to allow for any potential offsite noise impacts to be mitigated for the oncoming shifts
- Controlling mine noise at the source through the use of primary mining equipment with appropriate sound attenuation fitted
- Maintaining mining equipment in a proper and efficient manner
- Restricting operations on outer dump faces or elevated dumps in sensitive areas at night during adverse weather conditions
- Ensuring trucks operating during the night time are restricted to operational areas below the maximum elevation of the overburden emplacement areas;
- Using real-time offsite noise monitors that incorporate automatic alarms so that proactive controls can be implemented by mining supervisors
- Using silent horns on primary loading units
