In what is being seen as a benchmark agreement between a local government and a mining company in Queensland, the council succeeded in winning several conditions due to the proximity of the mine to the town of Moranbah.

 

It has also pushed the boundaries of what is achievable under the state’s Mining Act, says Isaac Regional Council chief executive Mark Crawley.

 

“This mediation will also have flow-on effects to other current and new mining developments that continue to move closer to towns within the region, Isaac Plains being but one of these,” he said.

 

“We got a really good result this time. As mining development moves closer to our communities, we have to be in a strong negotiating position.

 

“We operated in the legislative framework. Having said that, the legislative framework needs to be looked at and improved.”

 

Vale spokesperson Noel Herley said the company was willing to accept the conditions after rigorous mediation sessions.

 

“The conditions imposed are stringent but achievable,” he said.

 

“Problematically for the Isaac Plains operation, if other industrial operations nearby cause dust that elevate our mine limits and cumulative limits, triggering our operation to slow or stop, we will lose production, so we will be focused on helping ensure others also operate sustainably and this we can do through a number of forums the council are facilitating.”

 

Vale had submitted an amendment proposal for its Isaac Plains mine in the coal-rich Isaac region.

 

The expansion includes the construction and operation of a dragline, the diversion of Smoky Creek, a change or increase to environmentally relevant activities and an increase in coal extraction from almost 2 million tonnes per annum to 4Mtpa.

 

Isaac council objected to the expansion in September (along with 459 others) due to the proximity of the operations to Moranbah.

 

The council’s core concerns for Moranbah – which will be only 7km from the mine – included the cumulative effects of dust, noise and vibration and the impact of these on the community’s health and wellbeing, Crawley said.

 

“These conditions clearly identify limits for air quality at all times, the installation of air-quality monitoring stations and a meteorological monitoring station with an exceedence alarm between the mine and Moranbah, and requires strict monitoring to start immediately upon approval,” he said.

 

Proper monitoring has always been needed in Moranbah because of the many mega-open cut pits that operate close to the town and this will now be achieved, Herley said.

 

Other proposed coal mining developments in the Isaac Plains local government area include the expansion of the Middlemount mine and the development of the Cattle Ridge mine.

 

Vale has been in the spotlight recently after falling out with Aquila Resources, its joint venture partner on the Eagle Downs hard coking coal project, over the preferred infrastructure route to the coast from the mine.

 

The company is keen to establish its commitment to its Australian coal operations after the negative publicity around the high turnover of its executive team.

 

Vale global coal managing director Decio Amaral pointed to the Brazilian miner’s development of several Queensland coal mines and its $A34.9 million mineral exploration budget in Australia as evidence of its commitment.

 

Amaral, who was appointed three months ago, acknowledged there had been changes at Vale’s coal division that were “necessary but in the short term destabilising”