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State Significant Development

Determination

Mt Thorley Coal Mine Continuation

Singleton Shire

Current Status: Determination

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. SEARs
  2. Prepare EIS
  3. Exhibition
  4. Collate Submissions
  5. Response to Submissions
  6. Assessment
  7. Recommendation
  8. Determination

Attachments & Resources

Request for SEARs (1)

Application (1)

SEARS (1)

EIS (14)

Agency Submissions (10)

Public Hearing (6)

Response to Submissions (2)

Assessment (9)

Recommendation (9)

Determination (3)

Approved Documents

Management Plans and Strategies (2)

Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.

Complaints

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Enforcements

Penalty Notice issued to Mt Thorley Pty Ltd (SSD-6465, Singleton Shire LGA)

On 13 August 2021, the Department issued a $15,000 Penalty Notice to Mt Thorley Pty Ltd (Mt Thorley) for failing to ensure that no mine water is discharged from the Mt Thorley Warkworth mine complex.  A rainfall event on 4-6 January 2021 resulted in a mine water dam overtopping and mine water discharging from site.  An investigation by the Department concluded that Mt Thorley failed to design and maintain the mine water dams to comply with water management performance measures. Mt Thorley has committed to reviewing their water management infrastructure and their Water Management Plan to ensure no mine water is discharged from site.

Inspections

1/06/2020

14/08/2020

14/12/2021

27/09/2022

2/09/2024

Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.

Submissions

Filters
Showing 61 - 80 of 323 submissions
Name Withheld
Support
hunterview , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at MTW for 2.5 years now and if I were to lose my job I would have to look for work elsewhere which could force me to leave the area.
john bayley
Support
davis creek , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at MTW as a contractor for a period of 2 and a half years.and vie been in the mining industry for 7 years, I live locally and have been a land holder and primary producer for a period of 4 years. I am married with three children and have a mortgage, I don't know what we would do if MTW closed its doors, there is no plan b for us, so many people will be adversely affected by this,
Name Withheld
Support
Hamilton , New South Wales
Message
I'm making a submission to support this project due the socio-economic and economic benefits to the greater community. This project needs approval to support jobs and local businesses. I work at MTW and I can say that I spent the vast majority of my wage at local businesses and I know this to be the case for many of my colleagues. Mining needs support in NSW.
Ian Forbes
Support
Hamilton , New South Wales
Message
I'm making a submission to support this project due the socio-economic and economic benefits to the greater community. This project needs approval to support jobs and local businesses. I work at MTW and I can say that I spent the vast majority of my wage at local businesses and I know this to be the case for many of my colleagues. Mining needs support in NSW.
Eric Bayley
Support
Aberglasslyn , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at the Mt Thorley Warkworth mine for four years now and in that time my family and I had settled into the area and established a home and a life style of which we are very fond of. My position here at Mt Thorley Warkworth is one that gives me the opportunity to be with my family and support them financially and them a good life in an excellent environment. If the mine was to close down not only would I lose my job I may also have seek employment much further afield ie: fly in fly out leaving my family on their own for long periods of time, this is something that would be very difficult on all of us.
Kelley Boscassi
Support
singleton , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed by RTCA for 4 years. As an operator everyday I make conscious decisions that help keep our site operating, safely and make minimal impact on our neighbours.
I value my job and I support my extended family so if I were to become unemployed it would affect them as well. Loosing my job would more than likely mean that I would also have to move from the singleton area, which would take my spending from the local area away as well.
I believe that if that if MTW does not get this extension not only will the employees suffer but the greater singleton area as well
Alex cahill
Support
Branxton , New South Wales
Message
I signed up to a traineeship with Resco Services 7 months ago, I was placed at Mount Thorley Walkworth to complete this traineeship and hope oneday to be able to go fulltime once I complete it. If the mine was not to get this extension I wouldn't be able to complete this goal I have set for myself and would have to move away to get work somewhere else in the same industry which I would not be able to afford so it would not work for me. It would also affect my family with my father working at the same mine. There are also many other people here that would be affected by this that have family's and debts to pay off which wouldn't be possible without this job. It would change many company's and people's lives not to get this extension
Ryan Donnan
Support
Heddon Greta , New South Wales
Message
I have been an employee at Mt Thorely Warkworth for nearly 4 years and my family and I rely on my position here.
We are a local family who should Mt Thorely Warkworth close would find it extremely difficult to find another job in the area considering all the job losses the area has seen recently. I used to work at the Hydro Aluminium smelter and many of my friends from there have struggled to find or are still out of work.
With unemployment rates in the hunter valley soaring with the closures of Hydro, Glennies creek and Camberwell mines we cannot afford to lose another mine and another 1300 jobs plus the flow on affects from the closure which would amount to countless more.
David Wadsworth
Support
Singleton Heights , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed by RTCA for 4yrs, my family and I are reliant on the income. If I was too loose my employment at Mt Thorley Warkworth Mine it would have a huge impact on my family. I would have to leave the area to seek employment I feel.
Without the extension going through there is a lot of uncertainty at work. It impacts the working environment.
Name Withheld
Support
Rutherford , New South Wales
Message
I have worked at MTW for 6 months as a trainee operator. I hope to be able to finish out my traineeship at this site and have a long career in the mining industry. There is a lot of uncertainty working here knowing that MTW can only operate until next year. This is impacting our moral. If the extension doesn't get approved and jobs are lost I will most definitely need to move away from this area.
Shawn Burley
Support
Singleton , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at Mt Thorley Warkworth for 4 years as a mobile equipment operator. If the extension doesn't go through I fear I will have to leave NSW to find employment in the mining industry. I have been in the mining industry for 14 years and these are the only skills I have. I moved Hunter Valley the long jeverdy of Mt Thorley Warkworth. I was under the assumption I would see my mining career out here.
I need this job to pay my mortgage and support my family. The uncertainty of not knowing if we will have a job next year is really effecting morale at work and the Hunter Valley region in general.
tim burlinson
Support
singleton , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at Mount Thorley Warkworth mine for 4 years, myself and others moved interstate for this job and became residents of Singleton and the surrounding areas. We are all very worried about if we will still have a job here in the next couple of years with the current uncertainty about our mine extension approval.
With the current downturn in the mining industry I feel that many of us, myself included would have no choice but to leave the area due to no suitable work being available, operating heavy mining machinery is the only skill I have and if I can't use these skills to earn a living here myself and others will not hesitate to move out of the area.
The uncertainty regarding the future of our workplace is having a very adverse effect on the morale of employees with so many people's livelihoods and family's financial security at risk
Richard Hilbert
Support
Springfield , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at Mt Thorley Warkworth for 3 years as a mobile equipment operator. I was employed here under the impression that there was 20 years life left in the mine, which was a major contributing factor in taking on this employment. If the extension is not approved I would fear that I would have to move myself and my family out of the area. We are a single income family with a mortgage and two school aged children so we rely heavily on my wage.
As much as the effects on the MTW employees, the broader community and industries rely heavily on the existence of this mine.
Jemma Callaghan
Support
Aberglasslyn , New South Wales
Message
I have been in the mining industry for 14 years and employed at Mt Thorley Warkworth mine for 4 years as a mobile equipment operator and dispatch controller. I moved my family to the Hunter Valley region with the intention of seeing my working life out in the coal industry. My children have started in local schools and are part of a variety of sporting and community groups. It would devastate my children if we had to leave the area as I had lost my job at MTW and couldn't get another job locally.
The uncertainty of not knowing if I will have a job next year is causing a lot of stress on myself and my wife. It is heavily affecting morale amongst my peers at Mt Thorley Warkworth mine. I support the Mt Thorley Warkworth Continuation Project and hope it get approved soon.
Dennis Roff
Support
Hunterview , New South Wales
Message
I commenced a two year traineeship at MTW in November last year with the hope to pursue a long term career within the mining industry. If MTW are unsuccessful with gaining approval both my family and I will be negatively impacted as I am the primary income earner in a household that contains my defacto and six children.
As I am court ordered to remain within the Singleton area due to having custody of two children from a previous relationship, I would be significantly disadvantaged in pursuing other employment opportunities due to being unable to move outside the Singleton area, therefore I would more than likely be unable to support my family financially if the extension is not approved.
Leanne Worcester
Support
North Rothbury , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed at Mount Thorley Warkworth mine for 2 year and 2 months as a mobile equipment operator. I started as a trainee and had intended to have a long career in to the mining industry. My Dad worked at Warkworth mine when it opened until he retired. I expected to have long term employment at the mine like him. We have had 4 generations live and work in the Hunter Valley area.
My partner has lost his job at Vale mine recently so we are now a single income family. We rely on my job at MTW to pay the mortgage and bills. If I was too lose this job it would be catastrophic on our family and also the wider community. We would have to leave the Hunter Valley to seek employment to support my family and pay the mortgage. This causes my partner and I great stress at the moment. I support the Mt Thorley Warkworth Continuation Project going ahead.
Jesse Graham
Support
singleton hieghts , New South Wales
Message
I've been in mining for about 13 years my last job was at cadia east gold.
Unfortunately we were put off from cadia east gold and moved to the hunter valley for opportunity's fortunately Rio tinto Coal and Allied Mt Thorley Warkworth has given us that opportunity I have been working here at MT Thorley Warkworth for 2years.
Without this job I will have to move my family around again and move schools and try to find different jobs for myself and partner as you know it is hard in this work industry as it is to get employed else where we need this job.
Adrian Cody
Support
Rothbury , New South Wales
Message
I have been in mining and civil employment for 26 years and employed at Mt Thorley Warkworth for 4 years. I moved back to the Hunter Valley to be closer to the family and the long term job security in the coal industry that would see me through until retirement
If I was to lose my employment at MTW I would not be able to pay the mortgage. With so many mining job losses in the Hunter Valley area I feel my family and I would have to leave the area to seek similar employment interstate. This is causing my wife and I great stress and affecting morale in the workplace at MTW. I support the Mt Thorley Warkworth Continuation Project and hope it gets approved soon.
Darren Haig
Support
singleton , New South Wales
Message
My name is Darren and I have been employed at Mt Thorley mine for 5 years as Mobile Equipment Operator.
I feel that this extension is a good thing. The majority of workers at this mine spend their earnings locally, invest locally and have positive intentions of a long term future in the valley.
I feel that mining and local industry, such as wineries and horse studs, can work together in a harmonious relationship.
We have state of the art dust and sound emission controls in place and take the concerns of our neighbours in the immediate area very seriously.
If the MTW Continuation Project is approved 1300 immediate employees at the mine will be able to continue investing in the local area. Add to this the hundreds of supporting businesses and their employees that depend on MTW for a large percent of their business.
Unfortunately if MTW is forced to shut down, I will leave the area and continue my mining career elsewhere, which is unfortunate because I would like to settle down and invest my time and money in the hunter region.

Please help us keep the local economy flourishing and support the Mt Thorley Continuation Project.

Mike Silk
Support
Bulga , New South Wales
Message
I have been working at Warkworth mine for 6 years as a mobile equipment operator. I also have a local business in Bulga where I live with my wife and two children age 19 and 15. I've lived in the area for 20 years now. I would like to stay in the Bulga as a family unit and see my children being able get work in the area.
If I was to lose my mine job at MTW the implications would be catastrophic on my family. We would not be able to pay the mortgage. People would move away from the local Hunter Valley area and this would also affect my local business in the area.
I support the Mt Thorley Warkworth Continuation Project going ahead and getting an answer soon as it is causing my family and the families in and around the area a lot of stress wondering if we will have a job to support us in a year's time. People are holding on to their money and not spending it in the area at the moment with all the uncertainty.

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
SSD-6465
Assessment Type
State Significant Development
Development Type
Coal Mining
Local Government Areas
Singleton Shire
Decision
Approved
Determination Date
Decider
IPC-N

Contact Planner

Name
Matthew Riley