Bengalla Mining Company Pty Limited - Rio Tinto Coal Australia

Environmental procedure EP 5.1
• whenever possible, topsoil will be stripped while it is reasonably moist to
avoid dust or the loss of soil structure;
• during dry conditions topsoil should be watered to prevent dust
generation;
• topsoil must not be stripped when it is wet, as this can result in the loss of
soil structure and death of micro-organisms.
Machinery movement over soil should be kept to a minimum during
stripping operations to avoid compaction and loss of soil structure. Trucks
and scrapers transporting soil must use designated roads.
Where possible, soil will be transferred directly to and respread over shaped
areas, eliminating the need for storage and rehandling.
Stripped areas will be inspected to ensure that all soil usable for revegetation
has been removed.
4.4 Soil Stockpiling
Soil stockpiles are to be located in designated areas and constructed to a
shape and depth as specified in the relevant MOP.
The Mine Surveyor or a contract surveyor engaged by Civil Works
Department will peg out and sign off on the locations and volumes of soil
stockpiles and record surface levels for the base of each stockpile. This
information will be stored in the Survey computer system and forwarded to
Environmental Services.
Soil stockpiles should be located:
• as close as practicable and readily accessible to respreading areas;
• where they will not interfere with present and future mining and ancillary
operations;
• at least 10m from trees or watercourses;
• in areas that will allow free drainage and minimal soil erosion;
4.5 Maintenance of Soil Stockpiles
The Environmental Specialist Rehabilitation and Landcare will maintain a
Topsoils Stockpile Register.
The register will contain annual data on the locations and volumes of all soil
stockpiles, the formation new stockpiles and the removal of soil from
stockpiles for respreading.
All topsoil stockpiles are to be signposted.
Stockpiles that will not be used for longer than three (3) months will be
shaped, fertilised and revegetated with a cover crop specified by the
Environmental Specialist Rehabilitation and Landcare to provide initial
stability, maintain soil viability and minimise erosion.
title
EP 5.1
REHABILITATION
date issued
3/8/04
revision status
1.3
date reviewed
20/1/05
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