Mining and coal handling at United Wambo involves conventional open-cut mining methods involving truck and excavator/shovel operations.
United Wambo comprises of mining within two open cut pits - a new open cut coal mine at United, known as the United Open Cut, and the existing open cut operations at Wambo, known as the Wambo Open Cut. Operations at United Wambo occurred in three Phases during 2020 as defined by SSD 7142; Phase 1A, Phase 1B and Phase 2. The new combined open-cut mine is forecast to produce 10 million tonnes of thermal and metallurgical coal annually.
Phase 1A
Phase 1A commenced on the 6th January 2020 involving construction works and development of the United Starter Pit. Extraction of material from the United Starter Pit commenced under Phase 1A in May 2020.
Phase 1A, included the following activities:
• Salvage of Aboriginal artefacts;
• Clearing of vegetation to facilitate construction and mining activities;
• Construction and use of the Construction Infrastructure Areas (CIA);
• Upgrades to the Mine Infrastructure Area (MIA) at Wambo including the construction of a new workshop, fuel farm, administration offices, carpark;
• Construction of water management infrastructure including three mine water dams (U1, U2 and U3), the Northern Clean Water Drain and water pipelines;
• Installation of erosion and sediment controls;
• Construction of the realigned 330kV, 66kV and 11kV power lines;< ........
