HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations 3.23.5 Contribution of Mining Emissions to NO 2 and PM 10 in the Upper Hunter Coal & Allied continues to play a leading role in supporting research into mining impacts on air quality in the Hunter Valley. Coal & Allied works closely with the Australian Coal Association to actively support and manage research projects funded through ACARP and over the last 10 years has supported nine major research projects into dust and blasting fume emissions. The most recent work has concentrated on: Understanding the composition of dust emitted from open cut mines and the resultant fine dust impacts in local communities; Developing tools to better predict dusty conditions and proactively manage dust; and Characterising and quantifying the gaseous emissions from blasting activity to determine emissions of oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide. ACARP Project C18026: Respirable Silica near Open Cut Mines in the Hunter Valley Recently the level of community concern relating to dust levels in the Hunter Valley has increased and this has prompted the Hunter Valley Mines to closely investigate the quantity and chemical make up of the dust emitted. An element of particular concern is silica which can cause the lung disease silicosis. This 18 month project started in July 2009 and aims to carry out a risk assessment on the levels of silica in the air surrounding open-cut coal mines. The major project objectives are to: Sample respirable particulates (PM10, PM2.5) in the Hunter Valley airshed in the vicinity of operating open-cut coal mines; Measure levels of respirable silicon using ion beam analytical techniques; Determine the mineral species which contain silicon (silica, silicates) and the morphology (crystallinity) of the silica using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), QEMSCAN and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); and Carry out an initial risk characterisation based on the levels of measured silica. ACARP Project C19034: Meteorological Models to Improve Management of Dust from Open Cut Mines This new project aims to use soil and meteorological information to calculate an easy-to-interpret dust index that will provide a quantitative estimate of the risk of dust impacts in the next 24 hours. If successful, this will allow mine operators to proactively implement dust reduction measures in advance of adverse weather conditions. This 12 month project will utilise the highly accurate weather forecasts generated by the Hunter Valley Meteorological Sounding Group Joint Venture together with the predicted state of the topsoil to forecast dust conditions in the next 24 hours. Emissions from Blasting in Open-Cut Coal Mining An ACARP project run by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) aims to use continuous spectroscopic monitoring for a period of at least two years to determine the concentration of Nitrogen Dioxide at the boundary of a large open-cut coal mine. The results of this project could then be used to quantitatively determine the contribution of blasting to ambient Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations in surrounding districts. In addition, hydrocarbon emissions from blasts will be sampled and analysed to determine the range of compounds released. The project commenced in 2009 with preliminary work consisting of site selection and off site development of the uv-DOAS (ultra violet – Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) instrument for long term remote monitoring. The South Pit at Warkworth was selected as a suitable monitoring location where it borders Putty Road. Site setup and monitoring will commence in 2010. Coal & Allied are the Industry Monitor for this project. AEMR 2009 155
Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations 3.24 CLIMATE CHANGE 3.24.1 Efforts to Address Climate Change The Rio Tinto Environment Standard for Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) aims to ensure the minimisation of GHG emissions in Rio Tinto, including Hunter Valley Operations (HVO). This will be accomplished by identifying GHG emission sources, evaluating and prioritising them according to significance, then designing and implementing appropriate control, reduction and mitigation measures of greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. One medium used to achieve the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions is the RTCA Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP). This plan was implemented in 2006 to manage the risks and opportunities that arise in relation to climate change. Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s climate change programme has the following key objectives and areas of work: Carbon Capture and Storage: Actively researching and promoting technologies that reduce GHG emissions from the use of coal. Programmes include COAL21, an initiative of the Australian Coal Association aimed at reducing GHG emissions arising from the use of coal in electricity generation in Australia. Energy Management: Improving energy use at operations, projects and in the supply chain. The first step was undertaking energy audits at each operation. The audits were conducted in order to satisfy HVO’s requirements to produce an Energy Savings Action Plan (ESAP), as a designated user under the Energy Savings Order 2005. This order was legislated by the NSW Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) within the Energy Administration Amendment (Water and Energy Savings) Act 2005. The audits identified a range of energy projects which were submitted in the ESAP and are being undertaken and communicated across the Rio Tinto group to enable sharing and collaboration across the business. The Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) conducts research and development into carbon capture technologies and the geological aspects of carbon storage technologies. Its current focus is the Otway Project in Victoria, Australia's first demonstration of the deep geological storage, or geosequestration, of carbon dioxide. The project is of global significance because it is the world’s largest research and geosequestration demonstration project. Over 65,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been injected and stored and the project includes an outstanding monitoring program which international scientists believe to be the most comprehensive of its type in the world. Designing for the Future: Designing projects, recognising risks from a changing climate and opportunities in a changing policy environment. Programmes in this area include investigating new options to capture coal seam methane from underground and open cut mines, such as the MTW coal seam methane project where Coal & Allied is working with university researchers to tap into coal seam methane gas trapped underground. Coal seam methane gas is usually released when the coal is mined, but the pilot project aims to capture and remove the gas prior to mining. If successful, the $5.5 million pilot project could reduce the carbon footprint at MTW with scope for application at other sites. The trial involves flaring off the gas, which converts the methane into less harmful carbon dioxide. If the coal bed methane gas is available in sufficient quantities and flows freely, it could open up a new source of fuel to generate electricity. Raising Awareness: Raising awareness with employees, the communities where Coal & Allied operates, customers, governments, suppliers and industry that this is an issue which requires us all to change how we currently operate. In 2009, HVO reported total scope one and scope two greenhouse gas emissions of 955,909tCO2-e (carbon dioxide equivalents) under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act 2007. These emissions are reported for the financial year ending 30 June 2009, which is the reporting period mandated under NGER. For the calendar year 2009 HVO achieved a greenhouse performance of 89.0kgCO2-e per tonne product below target of 90.3kgCO2-e per tonne product HVO completed several energy projects in 2009 which reduced greenhouse gas outputs by 8,891tCO2-e. HVO’s Energy Project Programme has reduced GHG emissions by a total of 55,700tCO2-e since its commencement in 2006. AEMR 2009 156
Page 1 and 2:
Annual Environmental Management Rep
Page 4 and 5:
Coal & Allied - Hunter Valley Opera
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14 and 15:
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52 and 53:
Page 54 and 55:
Page 56 and 57:
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125: Coal & Allied - Hunter Valley Opera
show all

HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?