Environmental Management at the Carmichael Project

The Carmichael Project has some of the strictest environmental conditions ever imposed upon a mining project in Australia, as Australia’s mining industry understands that good environmental stewardship is fundamental to responsible business practice.

These strict environmental conditions are in place across the entire project, to reduce the Carmichael mine's environmental impact and ensure healthy air, land and water in areas in which we operate. Our environmental conditions and environmental management plans were developed in conjunction with experts with many of these plans also reviewed by third-party specialists.

These comprehensive environmental management plan for mining project conditions cover everything from water management, dust control, flora and fauna management, fencing, fire management, to progressive mine site rehabilitation. 

This level of rigorous scientific scrutiny is in place to give the community confidence that the Carmichael Mine will be operated responsibly. Learn a bit more about some areas of the Carmichael coal mine and rail project environmental management plans and conditions below.

Carmichael Mine Environmental Impact Management Plan

Water Management at the Carmichael Mine

• There are regulations in place which guide our use of water.
• Bravus’ Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Management Plan has been through 10 rounds of assessments with the Australian and Queensland Governments over two years.
• This has included definitively identifying the Clematis Sandstone as the source aquifer of the Doongmabulla Springs in October 2018.
• The springs lie 11 km from the mine and their underground water source, the Clematis Sandstone, is not connected to the Carmichael Mine. It is separated from the mine by the Rewan Formation, a 250m – 300m underground claystone formation. It acts as an impervious layer, restricting water from flowing between the underground aquifers.
• The main water source for the mine will be dam water. To reduce environmental impact of mining, groundwater will only be extracted from in and around the mines open cut pits so mining can be conducted safely.

Black-throated Finch Management Plan

• In order to protect the finches and ensure the species continues to thrive, Adani Mining has developed a targeted environmental management plan. The Black-throated Finch Management Plan details a range of practical actions to protect the finch, to minimise environmental impact of mining, including management of fences, pest animal control, weed control, fire management, grazing management practices and water source locations.
• Furthermore, we have set aside the Moray Downs West offset area, 33,000 hectares of land for the protection of the Black-throated Finch. This is the largest privately managed conservation area in Queensland. The conservation area is 126 times the size of the 10mtpa Carmichael Mine area.

Carmichael Mine Rehabilitation Plan

• Bravus’ rehabilitation conditions for the Carmichael coal mine and rail project environmental management plan are outlined in detail in both the Environmental Authority (the EA), and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
• Just like all Queensland coal mines, the Carmichael Mine has comprehensive rehabilitation conditions and will be subject to the same rules and conditions that apply to existing coal mines to reduce environmental impact of mining.
• Progressive rehabilitation will be undertaken at the Carmichael Mine, which involves the staged restoration of disturbed areas during the exploration, construction or development and resource extraction phases of a mining project, instead of large-scale works at the end of operations.
• Bravus is committed to ensuring to ensure that land disturbed by mining activities is progressively rehabilitated to a safe and stable landform that does not cause adverse environmental impact and can sustain an approved post-mining land use.