Reducing Our Footprint - Local Air Quality, Noise and Visual Impacts

Local communities surrounding a mine or a cluster of mines can be affected by air quality, noise or visual impacts resulting from mining operations.

Dust generated on a mine site can affect the air quality of a surrounding community.  The majority of dust particles at mine sites are large dust particles, or ‘coarse particulates’,created from activities such as the mechanical disturbance of rock and soil materials, bulldozing, blasting, and vehicles travelling on dirt roads. Large particles are also created by wind blowing over the surface of bare land and stockpiles. Finer particles (often referred to as PM2.5 or smaller), which have a higher health concern, account for around 5% of mine dust emissions and are mostly generated by vehicle exhausts and combustion processes, similar to urban areas.

Dust emissions require an Environment Protection Licence and mine operators must ensure dust emissions are kept within the limits set out in the licence.  These limits are based on health standards set by the relevant government agencies.

Dust emissions are managed through a combination of: mine planning; minimising disturbed areas; undertaking continuous rehabilitation; limiting stockpile size; limiting stockpile maintenance; minimising road haul distances and traffic; using enclosed conveyors; minimising dust generating activities when winds are blowing towards residential areas; and spraying stockpiles and unpaved roads with water.  Extensive monitoring is undertaken to ensure emissions are within the limits of the licence or identify where additional management measures are required.  The results of dust monitoring are reported publicly and are regularly communicated through Community Consultative Committees.  Many monitoring results are also available on individual operations websites.

Noise can be generated by a range of activities and machinery including trucks, draglines, blasting, conveyors, crushing, screening and process plants.  Noise emissions require an Environment Protection Licence and need to be managed carefully, particularly where mines operate in close proximity to other landholders and local communities.

Blasting is used extensively in the NSW minerals industry to fracture rock for mining. The two main impacts from blasting, apart from noise and dust, are overpressure and ground vibration, which may be felt by the mine’s neighbours. Blasting techniques help to minimise the effects of overpressure and ground vibration and neighbours are consulted about blasting times. Overpressure and ground vibration are regulated to ensure no damage will be caused to properties.

Because of the large disturbance areas caused by some mines, they are often perceived as impacting on the visual amenity of a community or region.  There are a number of ways to reduce impacts on visual amenity including tree screens, bunding around the site perimeter, progressive rehabilitation and minimising disturbance areas.

All major mines provide 24 hour response lines so that emergencies can be reported or complaints can be made directly by the community.

Internal Links

Case Study - Dust Management: BHP Billiton Mt Arthur Coal

Fact Sheet – Mine Dust and You

Fact Sheet – Environmental Noise and the NSW Minerals Industry

Fact Sheet – Blasting and the NSW Minerals Industry

Fact Sheet – Lead and the Hunter Valley

NSWMC Policy and Advocacy – Environment