Kestrel Mine
- Overview
- Mining and production
- Sustainable development
- Community engagement
- Library
Kestrel Mine is committed to making a sustained contribution to the social and economic wellbeing of Queensland's Central Highlands region - beyond providing over 300 jobs at the mine site. Through Rio Tinto Coal Australia's community relations programme and the Kestrel Mine Community Development Fund , the mine is working to help provide positive long term outcomes for the Emerald and Capella region.
2008 Sustainable development report
| 2008 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 355 males, 20 females, total 375 | 326 males, 28 females, total 344 |
| Saleable production | 4.0 million tonnes | 3.6 million tonnes |
| Health & safety LTIFR (200,000) | 1.37 | 1.08 |
| Freshwater use (litres per tonne of product coal) | Target 474, 2008 performance 343 | 353 |
| Energy use (gigagoules per tonne of product coal*) |
Target 0.10, 2008 performance 0.11 Kestrel Mine narrowly exceeded its voluntary energy use target in 2008. This was due to higher production levels and an increase in fuel use by new construction works and additional coal rehandle necessary to meet product specifications. |
0.10 |
| Greenhouse gas emissions (kg -CO2 per tonne of product coal*) |
Target 60.2, 2008 performance 64.9 Kestrel Mine did not meet its voluntary greenhouse gas emissions target due to an increase in coal seam methane emissions related to increased production rates as well as additional fuel use, as outlined above. |
60.9 |
| Annual rehabilitation & disturbance (hectares) |
Target rehabilitation 0, 2008 performance 8 Target disturbance 148, 2008 performance 131 |
Rehabilitation 0 Disturbance 96 |
| Community | The Kestrel Mine Community Development Fund committed $80,032 to four projects in 2008, including a business strategies seminar programme run by Commerce Queensland and the Y-Lead programme at Emerald State School to build young people’s leadership capacity. | The Kestrel Mine Community Development Fund committed $288,161 to 16 projects in 2007. |
* Due to Kestrel Mine being an underground mine, its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions have been reported per tonne of product coal, instead of per tonne of material moved (the metric used for all other Rio Tinto Coal Australia sites). Due to this, Kestrel Mine’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are not included in the total for Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s Queensland sites.
2008 Highlights
- In 2008, Kestrel Mine rehabilitated eight hectares more land than targeted and disturbed 17 hectares less land than targeted
- Construction on the Kestrel Mine extension, an expansion to the existing underground coal mine, started in August 2008, with the first coal from the extension planned for October 2012
- During the Queensland floods in early 2008, Kestrel Mine’s Disaster Management team worked with local emergency services to protect property and help residents relocate to safer housing. This included door-knocking, evacuating residents, providing medical support, setting up and supporting evacuation centres and sandbagging to protect property and public infrastructure. As the waters receded, the Kestrel Mine team also assisted in the recovery and rebuilding process, while employees were directly involved in the Emerald Council Flood Recovery project. Read more in the February 2008 edition of our newsletter, Mine Matters.
- Kestrel Mine started using tomato and basil plants to help manage bacteria levels in its raw water dam in 2008, in an innovative project in collaboration with CQ University
- An increase in longwall productivity with the use of a support crew added $13.5 million in value at Kestrel Mine in 2008
- Projects related to the "Kestrel Blitz", a collaborative programme led by Coal Processing Improvement contributed approximately one third ($10.9 million) to Kestrel Mine's $32.1 million total of savings in 2008
- A new fire station opened at Kestrel Mine in 2008, which included a new fire truck
- Kestrel Mine hosted the first Rio Tinto Coal Australia Birdwatch event at Gordon Downs Property
- The mine finalised a draft cultural heritage management agreement with the Kangoulu people at Kestrel Mine, to be implemented in 2009
- $40,000 was provided through the Kestrel Mine Community Development Fund in 2008 to sponsor defensive driver training for all Emerald Year 12 students.