The document discusses the coal mine rehabilitation process at the Ensham mine in Central Queensland. It describes how the mine progresses by removing overburden to access the coal seam and depositing the spoil behind. It also discusses the legal requirement to rehabilitate the land to its previous use, which involves replanting vegetation and monitoring the site. Images show the mine area before, during, and after rehabilitation to return it to grazing land.

1. Tel: (07) 3316 2531 Fax: (07)3295 9570
www.oresomeresources.com
Coal Mine site Rehabilitation

2. Rehabilitation of the Ensham
open-cut coal mine near Emerald
in Central Queensland.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

3. Before mining
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

4. After mining
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

5. After rehabilitation
The purpose of rehabilitation is to return the site to an agreed land use after
mining.
This is a legal requirement of the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority).
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

6. Open cut coal mining
„Spoil‟ is the overburden removed to reveal the coal seam. Previous spoil is piled
behind the pit. In this way, the pit advances, progressively filled with new spoil.
Rehabilitation will ultimately occur over the previous spoil behind the mine.
Direction of
advance of the pit
Image courtesy of
Ensham Resources

7. The Ensham Mine
The pit at the Ensham mine is progressing to the right in the picture.
Removal of surface overburden is in progress on the highwall side
(right) and is dumped on the spoil pile (left) to fill the pit.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

8. Rehabilitation
planning
An aerial view of the mine shows
the plan for rehabilitation, with the
areas to be rehabilitated in green.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

9. An Environmental Impact Study
(EIS) is conducted to assess the
flora and fauna that exists prior to
mining.
An Environmental Authority (EA) is
then issued with the mining lease to
regulate how the mining company is
to interact with the environment.
The rehabilitation requirements are
different for every mine.
The mine proposes a rehabilitation
plan and the government then adds
its own conditions prior to approval.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

10. This map highlights areas of
“Endangered”, “Of concern” and “Not
of concern” ecosystems within and
surrounding the mine site.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

11. This map depicts broad types of
vegetation within and surrounding
the mine site.
The EA includes the rehabilitation
requirements that must be achieved
in ground coverage and species
diversity.
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

12. Before mining
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

13. After mining
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

14. Rehabilitation
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

15. Restored land
Image courtesy of Ensham Resources

16. Queensland Resources Council
acknowledges Ensham Resources for their
assistance with this presentation and
supply of images.

17. Tel: (07) 3316 2531 Fax: (07)3295 9570
www.oresomeresources.com
Rehabilitation
on North Stradbroke Island

18. What is Rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation is the process of
restoring land after mining.
CRL restores, on
average, 75 hectares of
their leases on North
Stradbroke Island each
year and has
progressively rehabilitated Stages of Rehabilitation on North
more than 4 000 hectares Stradbroke Island
of land since 1966.

19. Pre-mine Surveys
Pre-mine surveys are very important for future rehabilitation
of mine sites.
Data collected from flora
and fauna surveys can
pinpoint the presence
of rare, threatened or
endangered wildlife and
plant species in the mine
area. Significant species
which occur in the mine
path must be re-established
in the area after mining.
Plant species which do
not re-establish naturally
or from seed are grown Pre-mine survey undertaken at Yarraman in 1996.
at the plant nursery.

20. Pre-rehabilitation Planning
Environmental officers
use satellite imagery,
aerial
photography, ecological
surveys and
local knowledge to
accurately develop
complete vegetation
profiles of mine sites.
This enables environmental
officers to select the correct
seed mixes and plant
species for post mine
rehabilitation.
Amity Air Photo 1996

21. The Rehabilitation Process

22. Step One – Reprofiling of Sand
Dunes are progressively
reconstructed by re-contouring the
cleaned sand to resemble as near
as practicable the original dune‟s
shape. Restoring the island‟s high
dunes, (often over 130 metres
above sea level), is a complex
engineering process.
Cyclone stackers are used to rebuild the dunes.

23. Step Two – Topsoil Spreading
Topsoil is stockpiled and
stored on a short-term basis
adjacent to the mine path.
Dump Trucks replace the
topsoil once the sand dunes
have been rebuilt. Where
possible, topsoil is removed
from in front of the mine path
(not stored to the side) and
replaced directly onto
rehabilitation areas. This
Freshly sown and stabilised topsoil on a
gives a much better and more revegetated site.
vigorous rehabilitation result.

24. Step Three – Direct Seeding
More than 30 species
of native seeds are
sown together with a
temporary crop cover
of sorghum into the
replaced topsoil.
Special fertilisers are
also added to replace
the nutrients lost in
the stored soil.
Native seeds are harvested from lease areas on the
island and propagated in the nursery.

25. Seed Harvesting
Roughly 250 kilograms of seed is harvested each year by CRL
employees. Seed harvesting occurs on the island, from lease
areas. Many different methods are used to collect and treat the
seeds, including the use of fire.
Various methods of seed collection at the CRL nursery.

26. The Nursery
Plant nursery
production has
increased from
50 000 seedlings
in 1996 to now
over145 000
plants. CRL plants
the majority of
their nursery stock
into 1 to 3 year old
rehabilitation.
The plant nursery at CRL.

27. Step Four – Application of Sand
Stabilizer
The sand stabiliser used by
CRL is a by-product created
from the petroleum industry
(essentially a biodegradable
bitumen). It is called Terolas.
Other stabilising methods
used by CRL include placing
wind fencing, using mulch
and laying brush matting
on exposed areas to control
erosion while vegetation The spraying of terrolas on topsoil.
regenerates.

28. Step Five – Nursery Stock Plantouts
Native seedlings from CRL‟s
own plant nursery are used to
supplement natural regrowth.

29. Step Six – Grass Tree Transplants
Slow growing Grasstrees
(Xanthorrhoea johnsonii) are
transplanted into the established
rehabilitation areas. Each year up
to ten mature trees are planted per
hectare in addition to 25,000 seeds
per hectare.
CRL Grasstree nursery on North Stradbroke Island

30. Step Seven – Maintenance
Log piles, bird perches and nesting boxes are installed to
encourage fauna to return to the rehabilitated areas.
Logs and bird roosts on Ibis Rehabilitation Squirrel Glider

31. Step Eight - Monitoring
Post mining surveys monitor the
development and quality of the
rehabilitation. These surveys provide
valuable data on landform similarity,
water quality and level, erosion,
vegetation development and fauna
recolonisation.

32. Ibis Rehabilitation
Ibis 2002

33. Rehabilitation at Amity
Amity Void 1999
Amity Void Rehab 2007

34. Annual Environmental Reports
Each year, CRL publishes an Environmental Report
that provides an overview on environmental management
and rehabilitation of mine sites.
Click here for the latest CRL Environmental Report

35. Acknowledgements
Queensland Resources Council wishes to acknowledge
Consolidated Rutile Limited for their assistance in the
preparation of this presentation.