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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

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Showing 121 - 140 of 323 submissions
Rodney Moss
Support
Tighes Hill , New South Wales
Message
I hope this submission will help the longevity of this mine and therefore also my carrer here at MTW
Tim McEniry
Support
Singleton , New South Wales
Message
I Strongly support the approval for the Mt Thorley extension, I believe that the Mt Thorley extension is vital for the overall health & wellbeing of the entire hunter valley community. It is paramount that we secure the extension to provide a strong economy in not just the Hunter Valley but for NSW.
I have concerns about the communities viability & the sound socioeconomic society the we have today in the Hunter area should the extension not be approved.
I believe that it would contribute to family break ups, increased crime rate and many more acts of desperation that will burden the entire NSW communities viability especially in the current economical downturn that we currently face.

Thank you for time
Bruce Blyton
Support
Chisholm , New South Wales
Message
I am currently working at MTW.I believe that the project should be approved. I am at the age where It would be hard to gain employment in a industry that is already under pressure. I believe that the company is proactive in environmental concerns and the economic benefits to the state and the local area should be the main focus in the decision process.
rick winfield
Support
Muswellbrook , New South Wales
Message
This should go ahead , MTW has a great enviro record and fantastic community values, To stop the expansion would be an act of idiocy
Ben Graham
Support
Rutherford , New South Wales
Message
With a young family and my wife only working casual we heavily depend on this mines future for our livelihood. Without Mt Thorley Warkworth our quality of life would be severely affected. I believe that the local economy would be severely affected both directly and indirectly through the closure of this pit. With the mining industry in a current downturn we should be looking to promote jobs instead of needlessly closing down places with such a large workforce.
Amy Shiells
Support
Cessnock , New South Wales
Message
I have a family to support and without my job at Mt Thorley Warkworth life would be very difficult for us. The mine also supports many businesses in the area who would also be adversely affected by the mine closing. I may have to move out of the area to gain employment in another mine, but mining across the country is under pressure from low prices for materials so it could take a long time to gain further employment.
Daniel Burns
Support
Hedon Greta , New South Wales
Message
I have a family to support and without my job at Mt Thorley Warkworth life would be very difficult for us. The mine also supports many businesses in the area who would also be adversely affected by the mine closing. I may have to move out of the area to gain employment in another mine, but mining across the country is under pressure from low prices for materials so it could take a long time to gain further employment.
Simon Marshall
Support
Kurri Kurri , New South Wales
Message
I have been employed with MTW for 4 years. Having come into mining so young at 19 it is critical for me to have the approval go ahead as I have basically no experience in other industries. The mine is close to home for me and having a mortgage and a new born baby at home from a selfish point of view I would love to see the mine get the extension as it would sure up my future for a lot of years.
Over the 4 years at MTW i have seen first hand how much importance is placed on being a good neighbour to the surrounding communities whether it be threw dust or threw noise the mine always pulls up production to get things under control.
Name Withheld
Support
Bateau Bay , New South Wales
Message
As an employee to this mine, I rely on my income to support my family. It is important for me to see the mine continue so that I know my job is secure and for all the other employees who work here as well. On the broader scale it is important for the whole community as it creates employment throughout the valley who rely on the mine for business.
Tony Martin
Support
Ashtonfield , New South Wales
Message
I have a wife and kids to support and my employment is detrimental to this. If the lease is not approved I may have to leave the hunter to seek employment in another state. My wife's immediate family live close by and are very helpful in looking after my family.
Name Withheld
Support
Raworth , New South Wales
Message
I support the submission as I support the young union members to keep their jobs. And also to support the businesses and towns who would be affected by a negative decision.
Alan Alderson
Support
BRANXTON , New South Wales
Message
The mine keep small bussness alive and my family and i would have to leave the valley
jason burley
Support
Singleton , New South Wales
Message
I have a family to support and I rely on my employment at Mt Thorley Warkworth and I would like to stay employed here for as long as I can. If the extension does not get approved and workers get laid off I believe it would be hard to get another job in the mines with so many experienced workers looking for employment.
Chad Reti
Support
East Maitland , New South Wales
Message
I support this extension because if Warkworth is forced to reduce the workforce with a downturn in the industry and already job cuts in the valley, finding another employer will prove difficult and with mining being my only skill set will force me to find work in another industry. My family will be greatly affected by this also as they are employed by companies who work directly to this mine.
Marty Corrigan
Support
Singleton Heights , New South Wales
Message
I strongly support the Mount Thorley Continuation Project.
For the following reasons:
-The Operation is a crucial Employer in the area.
-MTW has hundreds of local suppliers supporting Australian local jobs.
-The revenue is an important source of income for our local, state and federal government.
-The amount of people negatively affected is negligible compared to the benefits.
Mark Molan
Support
Lambs Valley , New South Wales
Message
I am a resident of the Singleton LGA and support the project.

The Mount Thorley project proposes no additional mining footprint, and includes for the final void to be backfilled.

Approval of the Mt Thorley project is critical to the integrated Mt Thorley Warkworth development, which I also support.


Luke Holley
Support
Manly West , Queensland
Message
I would like to express my support for the Warkworth Continuation 2014 and the 1,300 direct jobs that depend on the project approval and are important members of the community.
Further there are many jobs within Rio Tinto Coal Australia that provide support services to MTW in addition to the 1,300 jobs. As MTW is one of five mines managed by RTCA, there are many jobs in head office of Brisbane that also depend on MTW.
A thorough EIS has been undertaken to identify and mitigate potential impacts. The economic benefits of the resource are significant. The economic benefits of the mine are spread widely throughout the Hunter and Australia. The slow down an ultimate closure of this resource would result in widespread impact to the Hunter Valley and RTCA (both in the Hunter Valley and Brisbane).
Neville Gear
Support
Anna Bay , New South Wales
Message
I support the submission as I am currently employed at Mt Thorley Warkworth and finding other employment close to my family in the mining industry would be very difficult in this current climate. I am also fearful for my work colleagues and friends that work in businesses that are supported by the mining industry.
Matthew Hing
Support
Singleton Heights , New South Wales
Message
I have a family and have purchased a house in the area. I relocated from western NSW with my family to take up a position at Mt Thorley Warkworth. If I were to lose my job due to the extension not being granted it would affect my ability to pay the house off and I may have to move out of the area to find employment. I may have to sell my house and would most likely have trouble selling it if many people were to lose their jobs. I have established a new life here, the kids have settled in at school with new friends and are happy here. It would be hard on the whole family to have to leave the area. Having lived in the area for a couple of years I have got to know and like the area and if the extension were not to get approved it would have a big impact on the area.
Nathan Hill
Support
Singleton , New South Wales
Message
As an employee living in the Singleton LGA, the success/failure of this modification will have a direct impact on me.

Failure to secure the modification will likely see my job (as well as 1300 others) redundant, and as such will force me to relocate from the Hunter Valley in search of alternative employment.

The prospect of future, stable employment would allow my family to plan a permanent life in the Hunter Valley

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
Phone
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