The Project

About Bloomfield Colliery

Mining has been carried out at the site since the late 1850’s, with Bloomfield taking over the Mining Lease in 1937. Since then, Bloomfield has maintained continuous operations on the site. Underground mining operations on the site ceased in 1992. Open-cut mining operations began in 1964 and are ongoing.

The Bloomfield Colliery has approval to operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It currently employs approximately 93 Full-Time Equivalent personnel over 15 standard shifts a week across its operations, including the mining, administration, group roles and maintenance areas.

A range of real-time and predictive environmental monitoring is undertaken at the Colliery to minimise impacts on local communities, with the results regularly reviewed and reported annually.

In line with the approved final land use, substantial cattle grazing occurs on rehabilitated sections of the site today.

About the Approved Project:

The Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project allows a continuation of mining in and adjacent to the current area till 31 December 2035.

The continuation of mining does not involve an increase in production, additional equipment or additional infrastructure. In fact, the approved annual production level is reduced to 0.9 Million Tonnes Coal ROM (Run of Mine) annually.

The natural topography to the west and north of the proposed operations will continue to mitigate noise and visual impacts, and mining will not occur any closer to residential areas than has previously occurred.

Approved Project Benefits:

Improved final landform: The approved Project will result in beneficial changes to the currently approved post mining landform by reducing the size of the final void and reducing rehabilitated slope angles, which benefit the final land use (cattle grazing).

Opportunity to address legacy matters associated with the site: Mining has been carried out at the site since the late 1850’s. This project provides the opportunity to mine an area of shallow historic underground workings, thereby removing the potential for subsidence and voids to occur at the surface and providing improved long term stability benefits for the final landform.

Employment and economic benefits for the local community, the State of NSW, and Australia: Continued mining will mean ongoing employment for our employees, contractors and supply companies. There will be additional taxation payable to both the State and Commonwealth Governments from the additional years of mining. Royalties will also be paid to the State on the additional resource that will be mined. These royalties contribute to funding NSW hospitals, schools, essential services, and infrastructure projects.

Community investments: Continued mining will mean ongoing investment in the many community organisations Bloomfield supports in the local area through The Bloomfield Group Foundation.

Results of key studies

As part of the Modification Assessment, a series of specialist technical studies were completed, indicating that the approved Project can be undertaken and managed to meet the requirements for air quality, noise and blasting.

A biodiversity offset strategy has addressed the ecological impacts associated with the disturbance of vegetation. Full study results can be viewed within the Modification Assessment.

Further information

Information on the Modification Assessment for the Project and subsequent Project Approval can be found on the NSW Government Major Projects website - see link below

A copy of the most recent Newsletter on the Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project is provided at the link below.