Glencore Australia’s Ulan Coal Mine Complex – one of the country’s largest coal mines – has received approval to expand its underground operation, reported ABC News. The miner will be able to extract a further 18.8 million tonnes of coal at the New South Wales site.
Additionally, the determination extends the life span of the mine by a further two years to 2035. Ulan has approval to extract almost 300 million tonnes of ore over the next two decades, noted the news service.
There has been opposition to the project due to concerns about its impact on the environment and native wildlife. However, the NSW Department of Planning determination said the development’s impacts on native wildlife could be “avoided, managed and offset.” It has imposed 13 conditions to mitigate impacts on biodiversity, water, greenhouse gas emissions and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Glencore Australia will be required to prepare a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Plan, in consultation with the Environment Protection Authority, within the next six months.
Source: ABC News