Heron Resources Limited

Tarago Operations Pty Limited

Woodlawn Mine

SML 20

Extraction Plan

April 2018
 Woodlawn Mine
Extraction Plan Title Details

MOP Commencement Date: 30 November 2014

MOP Completion Date: 30 November 2021
Mining Authorisation: Special Mining Lease 20
Transfer Date: 19 March 2014
Renewal Date: 21 January 2015
Expiry Date: 16 November 2029
Name of Authorisation Holder: Tarago Operations Pty Ltd
Name of Mine Operator: Tarago Operations Pty Ltd

Contact Details:
Heron Resources Limited
Suite 702, 191 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9119 8111
Email: [email protected]

Signature of Representative of Authorisation Holder

Andrew Lawry Date

 Document Control Details

Name: Extraction Plan

DOCUMENT Author: Robert Byrnes
DETAILS Reference: Extraction Plan
Revision No.: 5
Document Status Government Review and Approval

Revision Date Details of Revision Reviewed Approved By

No. By
1 3/4/17 First edition DF AL
REVISION 2 11/4/17 Internal Review RB AL
DETAILS 3 31/7/17 Issue to DPE RB AL
4 27/3/18 Update with DPE advice RB AL
5 7/5/18 Issue to DPE RB AL

Name Department/Organisation

Robert Byrnes IEC

CIRCULATION
Andrew Lawry Heron Resources
DETAILS
Brian Hearne Heron Resources
Simon Fitzgerald Heron Resources
Dr Zoe Read Heron Resources
Wayne Taylor Heron Resources
Declan Franzmann Xcut Pty Ltd
Henry Gundry Veolia
Stephen Shoesmith NSW Planning and Environment
Table of Contents

1. Introduction 1
1.1 Summary 1
1.2 Purpose 3
1.3 Scope 3
1.4 Key Personnel and Responsibilities 4
1.5 Project Approval Requirements 5

2. Development of the Extraction Plan 8

2.1 Background to the Woodlawn Mine 8
2.2 Development of the Mine Plan 9
2.3 Stakeholder Engagement 10
2.3.1 Consultation with Veolia 11
2.3.2 Consultation with Infigen 12
2.3.3 Government Stakeholders 12
2.4 Management Process and Review 12

3. Overview 14
3.1 Outline of Site Facilities 14
3.2 Mine Planning and Design 15
3.2.1 Mine Plan 16
3.2.2 New Decline and Level Development 17
3.2.3 Rehabilitation of Declines and Level Development 17
3.2.4 Mine Bulkheads 18
3.2.5 Ground Support Parameters 18
3.2.6 Extraction Methods 18
3.2.7 Paste Fill 19
3.3 Mechanics of Potential Subsidence 20
3.3.1 Mine Dewatering 20
3.3.2 Subsidence Relating to Ore Extraction 20
3.3.3 Chimney Failure 21
3.4 Performance Objectives 21
3.5 Subsidence Prediction Methods 22
3.6 Subsidence Predictions 22
3.7 Subsidence Impacts and Environmental Consequences 25
3.8 Subsidence Management Strategies 25
3.9 Trigger Action Response Plan 27

4. Management Planning 29
4.1 Risk Assessment 29
4.2 Environmental Risk Management 30
4.2.1 Specific Risks Relating to Surface Features 30
4.3 Water Management Plan 31

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page I

 4.3.1 Water Management Plan Objectives 31
4.3.2 Overview of Water Management System 32
4.3.3 Water Management Performance Measures 33
4.3.4 Groundwater Management 33
4.4 Land Management Plan 34
4.4.1 Objectives for Land Management 34
4.4.2 Overview of Land Management 34
4.4.3 Protection Measures for the Bioreactor 34
4.4.4 Land Management Performance Measures 35
4.4.5 Soils and Erosion Management 35
4.5 Biodiversity Management Plan 36
4.5.1 Biodiversity Management Objectives 37
4.5.2 Overview of Biodiversity Management 37
4.5.3 Biodiversity Performance Measures 37
4.6 Heritage Management Plan 38
4.7 Built Features Management Plan 38
4.7.1 Old Open Pit Void (Bioreactor) 38
4.7.2 Evaporation Dams 39
4.7.3 Other Areas above the Underground Mine Workings 41
4.7.4 Built Features Performance Measures 42
4.7.5 Built Features Management 42
4.8 Public Safety Management Plan 42

5. Subsidence Monitoring Program 44

5.1 Subsidence Effects Monitoring Program 44
5.2 Subsidence Parameters to be Measured 44

6. Implementation 46
6.1 Reporting Framework 46
6.2 Extraction Plan Review 46
6.3 Component Management Plan Review 46
6.4 Key Responsibilities 47
6.5 Community Complaints 47
6.6 Environmental Training 48

Appendices
Appendix A – Plans
Appendix B – Subsidence Predictions and Impact Assessment
Appendix C – Consolidated Project Approval

List of Plans
Plan 1 Locality Plan
Plan 2 Extraction Plan Details
Plan 3 Environmental Monitoring Plan

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page II

1. Introduction
1.1 Summary

The Woodlawn Mine is an underground base metal extraction operation located near
Tarago NSW. The target ore lenses are hosted in a deep felsic volcanic deposit which
plunges subvertically below the original open cut to a depth of over 600 m. The surface
expression of the workings does not extend beyond the boundary of the surface
infrastructure as shown on Plate 1 below.

Plate 1 shows the existing underground workings in yellow and proposed underground
workings, the subject of this Extraction Plan, in blue. The surface features above the
workings consist of the original open cut void, part of Evaporation Dams 1 and 3 (ED1 and
ED3) and internal roadways. There are no aspects of the biophysical or cultural heritage
environment remaining above the mine workings. There is also no privately owned land or
public infrastructure located above the mine workings.

Plate 1 – Surface Expression of Underground Workings

The total surface expression of the underground workings is approximately 45 ha of which

approximately 16 ha represents the new workings.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 1

The proposed mining method uses underhand stoping techniques with cemented paste
backfill for stability. This reduces surface subsidence to minimal levels. As a result there
will be no changes to surface stability, gradient, drainage patterns or any other aspect of
the water management system.

The original open cut void is now operated by Veolia Environmental Services (Veolia) to
emplace putrescible waste transported from Sydney. The Bioreactor is equipped with gas
drainage systems to capture methane as well as internal drainage systems to capture
leachate. The leachate is primarily contained in ED3 while other mine waters are
contained in ED1 and ED2. As the underground workings lie only beneath a portion of
ED1, ED3 and the Bioreactor, this Extraction Plan centres on the stability of these
structures.

Plate 2 – Section of Mine Workings looking 30o from North

In summary, the mining methods planned for the Woodlawn Mine are designed to maintain
local ground stability while maximising the extraction of the high-grade ore resource.
Surface movement is anticipated to be less than the ability to be measured by normal
survey techniques and will satisfy the primary performance criteria specified in the Project
Approval.

As discussed in Section 3, all stoping systems include the use of paste fill to backfill the
mined voids. The aim of this systemic use of paste fill is to limit the span of unsupported
rock in the open stope, thereby ensuring practical control over the stability of the
surrounding rock mass. It is this factor that is significant in minimising the impact of the
mining operation on surface features.

As part of the mine plan, the backfilling of multiple existing voids will also be completed.
There are a number of areas were significant voids are known to exist and the stability
conditions of these voids is presently unknown as there is no way to inspect the voids. It

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 2

has been estimated that approximately 137,000 cubic metres of existing voids will be filled.
These voids will be backfilled at an estimated cost of $3.2 million, which may allow the
mining of adjacent mineral resource, but will also improve the local stability of the existing
mine workings.

Significantly, prior to re-accessing the old mine workings, the remote filling of the area
directly below the crown pillar will be undertaken. The crown pillar is the rockmass that
separates the open pit (and Veolia’s bioreactor) from the old underground workings. Heron
is currently undertaking investigative drilling to provide knowledge of the condition of the
crown pillar and to provide an estimate of the void volume below the crown pillar. Should a
significant void be encountered, it will be tight filled to ensure stability of the crown pillar.
Heron has made allowances of $1.8 million for this work to mitigate the potential for
interaction between the old mine workings and the bioreactor.

1.2 Purpose

Condition 4 of Schedule 3 of Project Approval 07_0143 MOD2, requires that an Extraction

Plan be approved prior undertaking underground mining but specifically excludes the
construction of the decline. The Extraction Plan forms part of a consolidated process
replacing the Subsidence Management Plan (SMP) process formally administered solely
by NSW Department of Industry, Division of Resources and Energy (now NSW Planning
and Environment Division of Resources and Geosciences). The new process integrates
the requirements of both the SMP process and NSW Planning and Environment (DPE)
Extraction Plan process.

The DPE has issued draft Extraction Plan guidelines for underground coal mining which
have been referenced in this Extraction Plan. As these guidelines were developed for
underground coal mining, they are largely not relevant to the underground mining operation
at Woodlawn. Despite this, and under the advice of DPE, this Extraction Plan follows the
draft guidelines as far as practicable. It should also be noted that the Woodlawn Mine is
the only hard rock mine that has the requirement to prepare an Extraction Plan. This was
noted by DPE in its review of the first draft of the Extraction Plan.

Following DPE’s review of the draft Extraction Plan, additional information has been
included on the proposed underground mining systems to be employed which were not
available during the preparation of the 2012 Environmental Assessment for the project.
This information is contained in a separate Subsidence Impact Assessment provided as
Appendix B.

1.3 Scope

This Extraction Plan covers the following underground mining activities once the decline is
completed:

 Installation of bulkheads to isolate the landfill operation from the mine.

 Stabilise the crown pillar beneath the Bioreactor if considered necessary.
 Refurbishment of the existing underground decline once intersected.
 Establishment of ventilation infrastructure including two ventilation shafts.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 3

  Extraction of ore from identified lenses accessible from the original mine development.
 Development of new access declines to extract ore from newly identified mineral
resources.
 Underground exploration drilling of additional mineral resources.
 Paste filling of stope and development voids after mine extraction.
 Investigate and implement if necessary any additional remediation work to minimise
seepage from the Bioreactor.

This Extraction Plan will be reviewed annually and updated as required. As this is the first
Extraction Plan for the operation it has not benefited from recent mining experience and
subsidence monitoring data. The first comprehensive review of the Extraction Plan will
occur 12 months following first ore extraction as by this time the design of mining stopes
will have been finalised and the initial results of subsidence monitoring would be available.

This plan includes the commitments made in the Environmental Assessment (EA),
conditions of the Project Approval and subsequent modifications 1 and 2. This plan also
includes additional geological and geotechnical evaluation, detailed mine planning and
resource definition work that has occurred since approval was granted. However, as the
underground mine has not yet commenced, actual mining conditions are yet to be
established. This plan is based on the best available information to date however it is likely
that this plan would be progressively modified and updated as mining progresses.

This plan also includes specific assessments in relation to the stability of the Bioreactor
and commitments to undertake investigations into ameliorating leakage of leachate from
the Bioreactor into the mine workings. Monitoring proposals are also presented covering
subsidence, ground vibration and water flows which build on the commitments made in the
EA and subsequent approvals.

1.4 Key Personnel and Responsibilities

Management responsibility for the Woodlawn Mine will be as follows:

Table 1.1: Key Mine Personnel

Position Personnel Company Responsibility Contact
Details
Managing Director Wayne Taylor Heron Overall responsibility for the 02 9119 8111
construction and operation of the
Woodlawn Project
Chief Operating Officer Andrew Lawry Heron Responsible for project delivery 02 9119 8111
and operations
General Manager Brian Hearne Heron Conduct of mining operations 02 9119 8111
Mine Manager Simon Fitzgerald Heron Mine Planning and Design 02 9119 8111
General Manager – David von Perger Heron Resource evaluation 02 9119 8111
Exploration & Geology
Environmental Officer Dr Zoe Read Heron On site environmental 02 9119 8111
management
Environmental Consultant Robert Byrnes IEC Environmental advice, 02 4878 5502
management and compliance

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 4

 Additional mining positions will be filled closer to the time of underground mining
commencing. These positions will include Manager of Mechanical Engineering, Manager
of Electrical Engineering and Mine Engineer.

1.5 Project Approval Requirements

The Woodlawn Project received Project Approval on 4th July 2013 with subsequent
modifications received on 22nd April 2016 and 6th July 2017. The approval was obtained
under the provisions of Part 3A of the Environmental Assessment Act 1979 and following
the public exhibition of an Environmental Assessment document.

The EA contained a number of environmental commitments while the Project Approval and
subsequent modification was also subject to conditions. Table 1.2 lists the conditions and
proponent commitments relating to the preparation of this Extraction Plan:

Table 1.2: Consent Conditions Relating to Extraction Plan

Condition Interaction with Construction Where Addressed
Sch 3 Condition 3 The proponent shall ensure that: Section 3.4
a) there is no measurable subsidence caused by underground Section 3.6
mining beneath the Woodlawn Landfill, tailings dams, and
evaporations dams on the site;
(b) apart from the access decline, no underground mining is Sections 3.2 and 3.4,
undertaken within 200 m of the perimeter of the Woodlawn Section 4.7.1
Landfill;
(c) remnant underground voids are long term stable to prevent Sections 3.4, 3.2, 3.8
subsidence; and
(d) material used to backfill underground voids is physically and Section 3.2.7, also
chemically stable and non-polluting. refer to Paste Fill
Management Plan
Sch 3 Condition 4 The Proponent shall prepare and implement an Extraction Plan This Plan
for all underground mining at the Woodlawn Mine, to the
satisfaction of the Secretary. Each Extraction Plan must
Sch 3 Condition 4a be prepared by suitably qualified and experienced persons DPE approved
whose appointment has been endorsed by the Secretary consultants in
separate
correspondence
Sch 3 Condition 4b be approved by the Secretary before the Proponent carries out Pending approval
any underground mining (excluding construction of the
underground access decline) at the Woodlawn Mine that is
covered by the Extraction Plan
Sch 3 Condition 4c include detailed plans of existing and proposed underground Plates 3 to 7
workings and any associated surface development Plans 1 and 2
Sch 3 Condition 4d describe in detail the performance indicators and the actions that Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.5,
would be undertaken to ensure compliance with the performance 4.6, 4.7, 4.8 and
measures in Condition 3 above, and manage or remediate any Section 3.9
impacts and/or environmental consequences to meet the
rehabilitation objectives in Condition 6 below; and
Sch 3 Condition 4e include a Subsidence Monitoring Program to assist with the Chapter 5
management of the risks associated with subsidence, which
validates the subsidence predictions, analyses the relationship
between the predicted and resulting subsidence effects, and
informs contingency planning and the adaptive management

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 5

 process in the underground workings.
Statement of The following would be undertaken during the underground
Commitments Item construction and operation to minimise underground mining
4A impacts:
 development of access to the underground workings via a Section 3.2.2
new surface portal and decline well away from the existing
Veolia operations
 backfilling of those pre-existing underground mining voids Section 3.2.4
deemed important for regional stability, ahead of mining Section 3.2.7
requirements
 commencement of mining using either mechanised stope
and fill, cut and fill or equivalent tight backfilling mining Section 3.2
method.
 Heron shall not process more than 1.5 million tonnes of
tailings and/or ore on site in a calendar year or transport Noted
more than 150,000 tpa of concentrate from the site in a
calendar year
 implementation of an agreed ‘mining exclusion zone’ based Sections 3.4 and 3.8,
on mutually agreed geotechnical advice, from the base of Section 2.3.1
the open pit void to protect Veolia’s operations from
underground mining impacts (such as subsidence) and
other mining operations.
Statement of A geotechnical works program would be undertaken as part of
Commitments Item the development of the detailed mine design for the underground
4B and would include:
 detailed geotechnical analysis to confirm results of Completed in
preliminary investigations, including: Feasibility Study
▪ complex three dimensional geometry of the mine
▪ major geological faults
▪ realistic strain-softening dilatant material behaviour
▪ backfilling
▪ life-of-mine mining sequence for development and
stoping
▪ pore-water pressure effects
 preparation of trigger action response plans (TARPs) which Section 3.9
include details on proposed monitoring programs
 preparation of a voids management plan preparation of a This Plan
slope stability management plan, if required in collaboration Section 3.8
with Veolia.

From 1 July 2014, the NSW Planning and Environment Division of Resources and
Geosciences (DRG) former Subsidence Management Plan process was replaced by a
consolidated Extraction Plan process. The consolidated process requires a single
Extraction Plan that is jointly managed by the DPE and DRG. The draft DPE Extraction
Plan guideline was obtained for reference during the preparation of this Extraction Plan.

The following report structure covers the requirements of the draft DPE Extraction Plan
guidelines as follows:

Chapter 2 Development of the Plan - provides details of the process in developing the
Extraction Plan and includes consultation with key stakeholders and the process of
reviewing and updating the subsidence predictions, potential impacts and mitigation
strategies.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 6

Chapter 3 Overview - describes the mine planning and design, key predicted subsidence
impacts, performance objectives and subsidence management strategies.

Chapter 4 Management Planning - this chapter includes the six key component plans
covering water management, land management, biodiversity, Heritage, built features public
safety management. These plans are relevant only to the area above the underground
workings as DPE has separately approved a similar set of Environmental Management
Plans which cover the overall site and operation.

Chapter 5 – Subsidence Monitoring Program – describes the proposed program for

monitoring the subsidence effects associated with the project and consolidates any specific
monitoring requirements of the component management plans.

Chapter 6 Implementation - centres on how the key elements of the plan will be
implemented including reporting, regular review and key responsibilities.

Plans associated with this Extraction Plan are provided as Appendix A. The draft
Extraction Plan guidelines provide for a series of 7 plans. The defined scope of these
plans has been designed for long wall coal mines, that is, large scale two dimensional
plans showing typical coal seam geology and mine plan geometry. The plans are
designed to cover large land masses with multiple potential overlying land uses.

It is not possible to prepare these plans for the Woodlawn resource which is a 3
dimensional subvertical resource with a total new surface expression of 16 ha. A
3 dimensional mine plan model has been prepared which can be provided to DPE in digital
format if required.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 7

2. Development of the Extraction Plan
2.1 Background to the Woodlawn Mine

Mining at Woodlawn Mine began in 1978 with the extraction of ore to produce copper, lead
and zinc concentrates. Both open cut and underground mining techniques were employed
during the 20 years of continuous operation until March 1998, when the mine prematurely
closed due to failure of the operator Denehurst Ltd. At the cessation of operations the site
was not fully rehabilitated and the landscape remains highly disturbed, including the
surface area above the existing and proposed mine workings.

The underground mine entries were located towards the base of the open cut void with the
ore accessed via declines. Ore was mined using conventional underground cut and fill
stoping techniques. Rubber tyre drilling jumbos were used to drill and blast holes. After
firing, load-haul-dump units loaded 31 tonne trucks which hauled the ore up the decline to
a transfer point adjacent to the portal. Eighty five tonne haul trucks transferred the ore to
the crusher feed stockpile. Waste rock was used as backfill for each stope. At the time of
closure, 5.2 Million tonnes of ore had been extracted from the underground resource
leaving a substantial remaining unrecovered resource estimated to be greater than 4
million tonnes.

Given the complexities of the site and its legacy rehabilitation liability, the Administrators of
Denehurst could not affect a sale as a going concern. The site was initially sold to Collex
for the purposes of using the void as a putrescible landfill while the remaining underground
resource and data assets covered by SML20 was sold to Tri Origin (now Heron
Resources).

Veolia now operates the putrescible waste landfill in the former open cut void, referred to
as the Bioreactor. Landfill operations began in 2004 and Veolia is permitted to receive up
to 1.13 million tonnes (Mt) of waste per year, mostly by rail to the Crisps Creek terminal
south of Tarago. The progressive filling of the open cut void necessitated the permanent
sealing of the original underground mine entries.

In 2005, Infigen Energy Limited (Infigen) secured approval for the Woodlawn Wind Farm,
which includes 23 turbines, 11 of which are located on the southern ridgeline within
SML20. The wind turbines are not underlain by any existing or proposed future
underground mine workings.

In 2006 a prefeasibility study into the reopening the underground mine and retreatment of
the three existing tailings dams was completed which demonstrated that the Project was
viable. This led to the preparation of an Environmental Assessment being completed in
April 2012 with approval being granted in July 2013.

The original approval process proved non-controversial and achieved broad consensus
with regulatory authorities that the project would provide both economic and environmental
benefits to the State and local region. A consideration in the approval process was the
recognition that the project would dramatically reduce the environmental and rehabilitation
liabilities of the historical mining operations on site as well as recover the remaining
resource in an environmentally responsible manner.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 8

When fully operational, the mine will produce up to 150,000 tonnes of copper, lead and
zinc concentrates per year, for 21 years. At this stage, the concentrate will be trucked to
Port Kembla and/or Port Botany for export however Heron recognises the potential to use
the Crisps Creek Intermodal which will enable concentrate to be transported by rail.

2.2 Development of the Mine Plan

As there are substantial existing mine workings and complex geology, the mine plan was
developed over several years. Exploration since April 2015 totalled 22,340 m of drilling
from 188 holes. The exploration program better defined the known ore lenses as well as
located additional lenses which formed the basis of the current mine plan. A schematic
long section of the exploration drilling is shown in Plate 3.

Plate 3 - Schematic Long Section of Exploration Drilling

The mine plan was developed around the existing underground workings which would be
intersected by a new decline adjacent to the old mining void/Bioreactor. The surface
expression of the existing workings does not extend outside the existing surface
infrastructure. The new underground workings predominantly lie within these workings but
also extend deeper.

The total surface expression of the underground workings is approximately 45 ha of which

approximately 16 ha represents the new workings.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 9

Plate 4: Woodlawn Ore Lenses (looking north-east)

As shown on Plate 4, the existing workings follow the ore lenses. The future workings will
do likewise. The lenses shown may extend deeper but given their steep angle, even future
extensions to the project would have little effect on the surface expression. Further details
of the mine plan are provided in Chapter 3 and Appendix B.

2.3 Stakeholder Engagement

Consultation with key stakeholders has occurred throughout the project development,
including the preparation of this Extraction Plan. Government, Non-Government
Organisations and the community groups were consulted during the approval process,
preparation of the various environmental management plans and the current construction
program. The key stakeholders include:

 Woodlawn Bioreactor (Veolia);

 Woodlawn Windfarm (Infigen);
 Department of Planning and Environment - Resources and Geoscience (DRG);
 Department of Planning and Environment (DPE);
 Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH);
 Environment Protection Authority (EPA);
 Goulburn Mulwaree Council;
 Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council;
 Water NSW (Sydney Catchment Authority);
 Department of Primary Industries - Water (DPI-Water);
 NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS);
 Tarago Progress Association and open community forums; and
 Individual neighbouring land owners.

A Community Consultative Committee operates for the Woodlawn Mine which consists of
an Independent Chair, representative from Goulburn Mulwaree Council and four
community members. Invited observers to the meetings can include representatives from

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 10

Veolia and other community organisations. The committee meets up to four times per year
and minutes are published on Heron’s web page.

Specific consultation activities undertaken in the development of this Extraction Plan are
discussed in the following sections. As the mine plan does not extend outside the surface
infrastructure and land holdings, no public infrastructure or private land holdings are
affected. Consultation with public utilities and service providers was therefore not
necessary nor any specific consultation with private land owners surrounding SML20.

Similarly, the surface above the extraction area is highly modified and contains neither
natural biophysical environmental aspects nor items of cultural heritage. As a result,
consultation with organisations such as the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage or
non-government environmental organisations was not necessary in the development of this
Extraction Plan.

Relevant agencies were DPE, DRG, EPA, WaterNSW and Goulburn Mulwaree Council
while the relevant non-government stakeholders included Veolia and Infigen. The results
of consultation with these organisations is discussed in the following sections.

2.3.1 Consultation with Veolia

Veolia is the single key stakeholder relevant to this Extraction Plan. They own and operate
the Bioreactor located within the old open cut mine void and associated dewatering and
gas extraction infrastructure. Veolia’s leachate management system utilises Evaporation
Dam 3 (ED3) and a portion of Evaporation Dam 1 (ED1). The existing and future
underground workings lie beneath a small portion of these dams.

Heron and Veolia have entered into a Cooperation Agreement which includes subsidence
related impacts on Veolia’s surface infrastructure. In formulating the agreement,
subsidence protection systems were developed to protect Veolia’s infrastructure. These
include ensuring the stability of the crown pillar beneath the Bioreactor, providing a 200 m
barrier between the Bioreactor and ore extraction and limitations on ground vibration from
underground blasting.

The Cooperation Agreement recognises that there are opportunities for mutual benefit with
the respective operations. One notable benefit is the ore processing plant’s water demand
can be partially offset by the excess water generated by the Bioreactor.

The agreement establishes an internal committee comprising representatives of the two

organisations which meets at least fortnightly. The role of the committee is to:

 disseminate information such as monitoring data and updates on operational activities;

 resolve conflicts in a cooperative and proactive manner;
 develop strategies for mutual benefit such as water recycling, ongoing use of compost
for mine rehabilitation and synergies with earthmoving activities;
 raise issues on the rights and responsibilities of each party.

The committee will discuss in detail the underground mining activities and stability issues
surrounding the Bioreactor. The intent of the work proposed is to increase the
geotechnical stability of the Bioreactor and reduce the potential for leakage of leachate into

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 11

the underground workings. These activities will need to conform to the Woodlawn Project
Approval and Environment Protection Licence but will include a range of mining related
activities within the 200 m exclusion zone.

These meetings currently discuss the construction program and surface water
management issues but will include geotechnical stability, underground blasting and
subsidence monitoring when underground mining commences.

Veolia management were provided a copy of the draft Extraction Plan and details of all
geotechnical and subsidence assessments.

2.3.2 Consultation with Infigen

Infigen own and operate the Woodlawn Wind Farm which includes 23 turbines, 11 of which
are located on the ridgeline within SML20. Consultation with Infigen occurred during the
environmental approvals process but were extensively consulted during the development
of the underground mine plan. Although the wind turbines are not underlain by any
existing or proposed future underground mine workings, Infigen required confirmation that
their towers would not be impacted by far field movements.

Subsidence and geotechnical data has been provided to Infigen during the preparation of
this Extraction Plan. Consultation will continue with Infigen during the course of
underground mining which will include the provision of subsidence data.

2.3.3 Government Stakeholders

The main government stakeholders for the project are DPE, DRG, EPA, WaterNSW and
Goulburn Mulwaree Council. Other agencies, listed in Section 2.3 are consulted from time
to time as required. For this Extraction Plan, the key agencies are DPE and DRG as the
underground mine workings do not impact on biophysical environmental aspects or public
infrastructure.

Government stakeholders were specifically consulted during the preparation of the various
Environmental Management Plans for the operation while annual consultation also occurs
with the preparation and distribution of the Annual Review and associated site meeting.
The draft Extraction Plan was discussed with these agencies at the 2017 Annual Review
meeting. Monitoring data required by this Extraction Plan will also be included in
subsequent Annual Reviews and discussed in the annual on site meeting.

2.4 Management Process and Review

As there are no environmental features or public infrastructure within the extraction area,
no performance measures or management review processes are necessary in these
areas. The only matters of relevance relate to surface stability and management of assets
held by either Heron or Veolia. Heron and Veolia currently hold monthly review meetings
which will in future cover details of underground extraction and monitoring results. Issues
arising from these meetings will be resolved in accordance with the Cooperation
Agreement. The management and review process will involve:

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 12

 Initial design of the underground extraction and support systems to avoid damage to
the Bioreactor and Evaporation Dam structures including any internal coffer dams.
 Provision of baseline data prior to extraction including 3D monitoring stations within the
Bioreactor and dam walls.
 Monthly monitoring of the subsidence monitoring locations.
 Assess and interpret the results of monitoring data and present the findings to Veolia
on a monthly basis.
 Identify and implement any additional controls or monitoring data points as agreed with
Veolia.
 Present a summary of the monitoring results and findings in the Annual Review.

The Annual Review document will include additional interpretation of the subsidence
monitoring results and provided to other government agencies and the Community
Consultative Committee.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 13

3. Overview
The Woodlawn Mine represents the redevelopment of an existing underground mine which
prematurely closed in March 1998 due to failure of the operator Denehurst Ltd. The
following sections provide an overview of the underground operation, subsidence
predictions, performance objectives and management strategies.

3.1 Outline of Site Facilities

The site has a long history of mining related disturbance. As shown on Plate 5 and Plan 1,
these include:

 The original open cut void now used as a landfill and Bioreactor. The underground
workings lie beneath a portion of this void.
 Three tailings dams used to store waste produced from the original processing plant.
These dams will be reprocessed by Heron but will be unaffected by mine subsidence.
 Three evaporation dams used to store and evaporate water. Referred to as
Evaporation Dams (ED) 1, 2 and 3, the underground workings lie beneath a portion of
ED1 and 3 only.
 A waste rock emplacement which has been rehabilitated. This is located to the south
of the new mine entry and will be unaffected by the underground workings.
 The original plant area now used by Veolia. This will be unaffected by the
underground operation.
 Various surface infrastructure, roads, rock emplacements and buildings. No buildings
will be undermined including Veolia’s Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant. Only a
small section of internal haul road occurs above the mine workings.

Heron is currently in the process of constructing a new processing plant, ore stockpile,
tailings dam, mine entry, haul road and supporting infrastructure. Other than the new mine
entry, none of this new infrastructure is located above the mine workings. As the new mine
entry is required to access the existing workings via a new decline, the entry itself will be
located above the initial underground workings.

The existing and future underground workings covered by this Extraction Plan do not
extend beyond the current disturbed site and infrastructure. No privately owned property
will be impacted by existing or proposed workings (other than owned by Heron and Veolia).

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 14

Plate 5 - Site Overview

The key issues in relation to the proposed mining operation will be maintaining stability of
the Bioreactor and dam structures on site. To achieve this, the extraction method will
incorporate cemented paste backfill of existing and new voids rather than the previous
method of using loose fill.

There are no aspects of the biophysical environment remaining above the mine workings
and no public infrastructure or cultural heritage items will be impacted.

3.2 Mine Planning and Design

A detailed description of the mine plan and design is provided in Appendix B. This section
provides a general summary of the plan with emphasis on matters related to subsidence.

The Woodlawn underground resource is located in a volcanic intrusion located below and
to the northwest of the original open pit excavation. The target sulphide mineralisation
contains zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver in economic concentration. The ore is present
in multiple lenses which dip steeply in a northwest orientation. Some lenses extend to
depths greater than 600 m below surface.

The underground mine involves the development of a new access decline located on the
western side of the open pit excavation. This decline will provide access to areas that
were previously mined (remnant resources) and to new areas that were identified as a
result of Heron’s exploration activities.

Ore will be extracted utilising underhand stoping techniques with cemented paste fill. The
engineered nature of paste fill makes the stoping operations more reliable and systematic,
with the length of open voids controlled to ensure stability. This in turn limits any surface
movement.

In terms of subsidence, the equivalent in underground coal mining would be first workings
in a bord and pillar operation but with the bords (internal roadways) being progressively

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 15

filled with paste shortly after they are developed. In this situation, the minor surface
movement that could theoretically be estimated is considered well within natural
background movement.

At Woodlawn, there will be no subsidence caused by rock mass caving as occurs with
pillar extraction or longwall coal operations. It will essentially be the same, though
arguably more stable, than a first workings bord and pillar operation.

As described in Section 3.6, some surface movement will theoretically occur as a result of
dewatering the existing flooded workings. Deformation of the overlying strata may also
occur during extraction of the stopes however this would effectively not be measurable and
be within normal background movement. The effects of natural heating and cooling of the
surface strata, both during each day and over different seasons, as well as groundwater
recharge and discharge due to climate variability is generally accepted as normal
background movement.

3.2.1 Mine Plan

Key features of the underground mine are:

 A new mine decline from a box cut adjacent to the Bioreactor;

 Rehabilitation of existing workings involving installation of additional new ground
support and to meet current geotechnical design standards;
 Development of new vertical and horizontal drives to access the ore lenses;
 Longhole stoping to extract ore; and
 Backfilling of stope voids with paste fill.

The vertical extent of existing and proposed stopes is shown in Plate 6. The north west dip
of the orebodies results in increasing depth of the lenses beneath ED1. While there are
some proposed stopes around 100m below the south east shore of ED1, beneath the floor
of ED1 the proposed stopes are generally greater than 250m.

The planned mine and existing workings are shown on Plate 6Plate .

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 16

Plate 6 - Planned Mine Workings

The existing mine access and workings lie close to the Bioreactor (mine void). These will
be assessed for integrity and geotechnical stability in accordance with agreements made
with Veolia. Further details of the existing and proposed workings and their interaction is
provided in Appendix B.

3.2.2 New Decline and Level Development

The construction program includes the development of a decline from the box cut to
provide access to Kate Lens and the existing underground workings. Additional new
development and the rehabilitation of some of the existing decline will be used to provide
access to other stoping areas. The general layout of the new decline and level
development is provided in Plate 6.

The new decline will initially intersect the existing workings at 2670mRL (approximately
130m below surface), and additional access points will be developed at depth. The
existing decline system will be refurbished and used to access the other underground
workings, including the ore reserves left after the mine closed in 1998. New decline and
level development will be used to access new ore reserves identified by Heron.

3.2.3 Rehabilitation of Declines and Level Development

The mine plan includes the rehabilitation of areas of the existing workings. These workings
are typically between 5 and 6 metres wide and the same height. Rehabilitation involves
the installation of surface support and rock reinforcement similar to that required for new
development. While the present condition of the old workings is unknown, Heron
anticipates that most of the workings will be in reasonable condition even though they have
been abandoned since 1998. It is expected that the ground support will have corroded and
require replacement. Ground support from this period no longer conforms to today’s
practices and regardless of condition will be replaced.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 17

3.2.4 Mine Bulkheads

Additional new permanent and purpose built bulkheads that conform to design
recommendations to permanently separate the bioreactor and the new mining operation
will be installed soon after the new decline intersects with the original decline.

A detailed construction methodology is currently being prepared as part of a detailed mine

re-entry plan including the opportunity of remote installation of these bulkheads.

3.2.5 Ground Support Parameters

Geotechnical investigations covering the mine plan were initially undertaken by Beck
Engineering which was based on both pre-existing mining knowledge and additional drilling
data obtained since the mine closed. This work was expanded and refined by Heron
Resources and summarised in Appendix B. A specific geotechnical drilling program was
undertaken to determine mining conditions in new resource areas as well as anticipated
decline and access development conditions.

Specific testing was undertaken on each rock mass including Uniaxial Compressive
Strength (UCS), Geological Strength Index (GSI), Density, Plastic Strain as well as a
number of strength, cohesion and friction testing in order to accurately define rock
behaviour, necessary support levels and potential overlying strata deformation
characteristics. This data was used both in mine planning and assessment of potential
impacts of blasting and subsidence on the Bioreactor.

In addition to rock mass units, several faults were identified which were also tested along
with contact zones which interact with the planned mine workings. This information has
been included in the assessment of subsidence potential and further details are provided in
Appendix B.

3.2.6 Extraction Methods

In hard rock mining, the extraction of ore is described as stoping, and the place this occurs
is known as a stope. This is equivalent to the “second workings” in coal mining however
unlike longwall coal mining, there is no uncontrolled caving of the strata above the stope.

Typically, the lenses are steeply dipping, and primary access consists of decline ramps
from which lateral drives are developed into the ore lenses. Once access development is
completed the ore is mined, primarily using longhole stoping techniques.

Longhole stoping involves the drilling of a series of holes up to 25 metres in length in a ring
pattern. These holes are then fired with explosives to break the ore. Remotely controlled
loaders then remove the broken ore, which is loaded into 50 tonne capacity trucks and
hauled to the surface.

The planned extraction is intended to be mined “underhand”. This means that the stopes
are mined below previously mined stopes that have been backfilled with an engineered
material consisting of the tailings from ore processing combined with cement. A
generalised stope cross section is provided in Plate 7.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 18

Plate 7 - Underhand Open Stoping Mining Method

The use of the tailings stream requires dewatering of the tailings to produce a “paste”. The
binder is then added to the paste in sufficient quantity to achieve the required strength and
cohesion parameters. The engineered nature of paste fill makes the stoping operations more
reliable and systematic, with the size of open voids controlled to ensure stability and safety.
Further details of the paste fill are provided in Section 3.2.7.

The use of cemented paste fill offers many of advantages in the extraction sequence:

 Maximises the volume of ore extracted as stopes are always buttressed by cemented
paste fill;
 Allows an optimal approach to managing induced stress around mined areas;
 Provides a homogeneous stope back (roof) that behaves more predictably as the ore
is excavated;
 allows the size of open voids to be managed and optimised; and
 all stopes are completely backfilled prior to mine closure, which in turn limits the
magnitude of ground movement adjacent to the stope.

Stopes will be typically 20m high, between 10 and 20m along strike and the width of the
orebody (4 to +/- 20m). The production cycle for a typical stope is typically:

 Mine ore drives at regular level spacing (20m).

 Mine top level stopes on retreat sequence (toward access) placing paste fill in each
stope.
 Mine stopes in level below when paste has had adequate curing time.
 Continue sequence for each level below.

The implementation of this system may allow mining simultaneously over several levels
with stopes sequenced in-echelon. Further details of the mining methods are provided in
Appendix B.

3.2.7 Paste Fill

Paste fill will be used in the extraction of ore within stopes to provide stability. In turn, this
method significantly reduces the potential for caving of the overlying strata thereby

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 19

minimising the potential for surface movement. The paste fill will be delivered from the
surface Paste Plant adjacent to the mine entry box cut via boreholes and reticulated in
steel and polyethylene pipes.

The material essentially consists of residual ore but with significantly lower metal
concentration than the material removed. It is therefore considered environmentally sound
for use as backfill. The engineered nature of paste fill makes the stoping operations more
reliable and systematic, with the length of open voids controlled to ensure local stability.

The use of cemented paste fill allows an “underhand” stoping method to be employed.
This engineered material provides a homogenous stope back, which behaves predictably
as the ore is excavated. Importantly the induced stress is never concentrated into isolated
pillars. There is less reliance on the natural ground conditions to provide wall and back
stability and the stope span can be controlled by progressively backfilling the level as
stoping proceeds.

3.3 Mechanics of Potential Subsidence

There are three mechanisms for potential subsidence at the Woodlawn mine. The main
source relates to mine dewatering. As this movement is not caused by underground extraction
it is not subject to Condition 3 of Schedule 3 of the Project Approval which states that “there
should be no measurable subsidence caused by underground mining beneath the Woodlawn
Landfill, tailings dams, and evaporations dams on the site”. The removal of water contained
within the workings is not considered “underground mining”.

The second mechanism includes the potential for subsidence resulting from ore extraction.
Although this is possible due to plastic deformation of the insitu rock mass above the stopes, it
is largely theoretical and highly unlikely to be differentiated from normal surface movements
resulting from natural heating and cooling of the surface strata.

The third method could arise through catastrophic failure of strata above the stope. This is
called “chimney failure”. These mechanisms are further discussed in the following sections
and in more detail in Appendix B.

3.3.1 Mine Dewatering

Establishment of the underground mining operation requires the dewatering of the historic
mine workings. Heron has estimated that approximately 1.4 million cubic metres of water will
be pumped from the mine during the dewatering of the historic workings. Historically, the
underground mine was described as dry, and groundwater inflows are expected to be less
than 345 cubic metres per day.

The subsidence prediction completed by Beck suggested that the far field effects of mine
dewatering may have the greatest theoretical effect on subsidence in the area adjacent the
proposed underground workings.

3.3.2 Subsidence Relating to Ore Extraction

As discussed previously, the subsidence predicted from the extraction of ore at the Woodlawn
mine is mitigated by the backfilling of stope voids with paste fill. This will have the effect of
confining, but not eliminating deformation and the potential for subsidence at surface.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 20

It is important to note that no significant subsidence effects were documented during or since
the extraction that occurred throughout historic mining operations, despite the existence of
stope voids that were not backfilled prior to the closure of the mine.

3.3.3 Chimney Failure

The third mechanism for potential subsidence is localised in the area of impact and has not
been modelled. A chimney failure can only occur during the catastrophic failure of the
rockmass above a stope void and requires the presence of a geological structure combined
with a weak rockmass to propagate. Under the right conditions the chimney can continue to
propagate until the original void has been filled by the collapsing material.

The conditions for a chimney failure are known to exist in some areas with many pervasive
faults and the presence of talc-chlorite rocks documented in drilling data and geological
mapping of development drives in the historic operation. This type of localised failure occurred
infrequently during the historic operation but did not propagate to the surface.

The stope design process that Heron plans to implement will include geological mapping of the
rockmass and detailed analysis to provide the critical stope design parameters. Also, the
systematic use of paste fill is a significant mitigating element in the proposed stoping methods.

3.4 Performance Objectives

The previous sections have described the background to the formulation of the mine plan
which is the subject of this Extraction Plan. Although the original Environmental
Assessment did not include this detail, the Project Approval was issued with performance
objectives based on the broad concept of the minimisation of subsidence impacts on the
overlying mine infrastructure. These performance objectives, as stated in Schedule 3
Condition 3 are as follows:

The Proponent shall ensure that:

(a) there is no measurable subsidence caused by underground mining beneath the

Woodlawn Landfill, tailings dams, and evaporations dams on the site;
(b) apart from the access decline, no underground mining is undertaken within 200 m of
the perimeter of the Woodlawn Landfill;
(c) remnant underground voids are long term stable to prevent subsidence; and
(d) material used to backfill underground voids is physically and chemically stable and non-
polluting.

The primary project objectives in relation to subsidence and geotechnical stability are:

 Maintain stability of the Bioreactor including floor, highwalls, benches, gas collection
and water recirculation systems.
 Maintain stability of all dam structures above the underground workings, namely ED3
and ED1. This includes liners, external wall structures and any internal coffer dams.
 Maintain stability of all internal roads and other structures and facilities located above
the mine workings.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 21

 Confirm the stability of the crown pillar beneath the bioreactor and if necessary provide
additional support.
 Identify and rectify any identified leakage points from the Bioreactor which may involve
additional bulkhead installation within the original decline.
 Provide effective subsidence monitoring of key surface features including the
Bioreactor and evaporation dam walls.

3.5 Subsidence Prediction Methods

A subsidence impact assessment has been prepared by Cross-Cut Consulting Pty Ltd
which is contained in full as Appendix B and summarised in the following sections.
Deformation effects were evaluated using a mine-scale 3D finite element model that
included all existing and planned underground excavations, the open pit and the complete
geological and structural models that were available at the time of the modelling (January
2016). Beck Engineering applied a strain-softening dilatant material model for the
rockmass and structures and hydromechanical coupling to capture pore water pressure
effects. The model constitutive assumptions govern how stress, strain and pore water
pressure interactions evolve over time in the simulation.

The finite element model was solved using Abaqus Explicit software. The solution to the
governing numerical equations provided an estimate of the magnitude of stress, strain and
pore water pressure.

To bracket expected outcomes for risk assessment purposes, an average set and a weak
set of material properties were used. The weak case permits appreciation of outcomes
with a lower probability, so that the effectiveness of our control measures can be
evaluated, and guides the trigger and response plan, while the average case can be used
for base-case assessment.

3.6 Subsidence Predictions

Subsidence refers to the movement of the surface at any one point and can be described as
vertical displacement, tilt, tensile and compressive strain and curvature. Vertical movement is
generally expressed in units of millimetres. Tilt is the change in the slope of the ground as a
result of differential subsidence and is calculated as the change in subsidence between two
points divided by the distance between these points. Tilt is usually expressed as millimetres
per metre.

Curvature is the change in tilt between two adjacent sections of the tilt profile and provides the
rate of change in tilt. It is expressed as the inverse of the radius of curvature in kilometres.
Strain is the relative differential horizontal movements of the ground and is calculated by the
horizontal distance between them. Strain can be expressed as compressive which is where
the distance between the points decreases or tensile strain where the distance between the
two points increases. Strain is usually described as millimetres per metre.

These parameters have been developed largely to describe underground longwall mining and
the norm is to develop models which show incremental changes over multiple longwall panels.
The Woodlawn mine design does not lend itself to this form of subsidence calculations. This is
because the surface extent of the proposed new workings is extremely small and consists of

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 22

individual excavations which are fully supported by paste fill. These supported excavations
extend subvertically at increasing depth rather than laterally as occurs with coal mining.

Another differentiating factor at Woodlawn is that surface deformation does not occur due to
the strata caving as is the case with longwall coal mining. The stopes dimensions are
maintained to ensure short term stability and once ore has been extracted the stope is
completely backfilled which provides permanent stability. While deformation of the rockmass
around the stoped areas will theoretically occur, the deformation is constrained by the very low
compressibility of the backfill.

It is expected that due to the geometry and the mining methods planned to be employed at
Woodlawn, the deformations associated with ore extraction will be minor and unlikely to be
measurable. Subsidence effects are theoretically more likely to be a result of the far field
effects of mine dewatering.

The dewatering of the historic mine workings is necessary to access the orebodies. As the
workings are progressively dewatered, the surrounding water table will be drawn down in a
cone of depression that will progressively increase in area as the mine is dewatered. The
cone of groundwater depression may extend outside the plan footprint of the mine workings.

The extraction of groundwater can result in the compaction of the aquifers within the area of
influence around the mining operation, which may be outside the plan surface footprint of the
mine workings. These are referred to far field surface movement but not related to actual
mining.

Subsidence predictions were made for the area covering the open pit and the evaporation
ponds by Beck Engineering for the Woodlawn underground feasibility study (Beck Engineering,
2017) which are summarised in Appendix B.

The forecast displacements magnitudes, denoted by Umax in Plate 8, were estimated to be up

to a maximum of 130mm directly above the underground workings. The estimated
displacement over ED1 was no more than 50mm. This forecast deformation field is a mostly
far-field response to dewatering, with less effect due to the planned mining excavations
themselves. The forecast displacements were conservatively high and in practice lower
displacement magnitudes would be expected.

It is anticipated that actual subsidence levels caused by extraction of ore would be less than
effectively measurable. This is largely a result of natural variations caused by daily and
seasonal temperature variations and natural changes in groundwater pressure.

It is essential to recognise that ED1 has already experienced minor deformation associated
with previous underground mining and that future underground mining could theoretically
induce similar levels of deformation. It is therefore expected that the surface impacts of future
underground mining will be similar to the effects of previous underground mining which are
also comparable to natural variations.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 23

Plate 8 - Deformation Modelling

Plate 9 shows modelled plastic strain associated with future underground mining. This shows
small localised additional strains of ~0.25% near ED1. This strain is associated with modelled
lithology contact.

For the open pit the results also show that the risks are low. At the end of underground
mining, forecast stoping induced displacement magnitudes in the pit slopes are less than about
100mm, even for the worst case scenario. The forecast deformation is a mainly elastic
response to underground mining, dewatering and progressive waste filling the Bioreactor, with
a dominant vertical downwards component. In terms of slope stability, 100mm of movement
over a slope of this size is not considered to be critical or problematic.

It was concluded that the mine plan, with control measures in place, is sound as far as
management of induced deformation of the pit is concerned. The induced deformation is
unlikely to lead to slope instability at any relevant scale and the proposed control measures
would be effective in ensuring unexpected adverse outcomes are identified before they grow to
unacceptable levels.

Additionally, the stability of the open pit slopes will significantly benefit from the dewatering of
the underground mine.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 24

Plate 9 – Plan of forecast incremental damage associated with future underground mining

3.7 Subsidence Impacts and Environmental Consequences

The area of influence of the predicted subsidence is within the footprint of the existing
mine. The magnitude of subsidence is predicted under the worst case scenario to be
similar to that experience in the previous underground mining operation. The predicted
subsidence is not anticipated to have any significant impact on surface infrastructure,
which is supported by the history of mining at the site. The predictions are conservative
and relate to minor modelled movement resulting largely from dewatering and permanently
supported stope excavations. No traditional “caving” will be undertaken and all extraction
voids will backfilled with paste to provide permanent stability.

The environmental consequences associated with the mine are expected to be consistent
with those presented in the 2012 Environmental Assessment.

3.8 Subsidence Management Strategies

Heron has adopted the observational approach to the design and operation of the
Woodlawn underground mine. This is a key control measure for managing the impacts of
underground mining. The observational method for geotechnical risk management
involves progressing from a conservative starting position, under the control of
measurements and observations designed to test and refine the design assumptions and
further characterise the risk. If a forecast tolerance is exceeded, an unexpected event
occurs or an unexpected geotechnical feature is encountered, then the plan is modified,
according to the actual conditions, to maintain an acceptable risk profile. This approach is
firmly embedded and widely accepted in worldwide geotechnical practice.

The primary management strategy is the use of paste fill of stopes. This provides stability
for both mine safety and minimisation of surface subsidence. The 200 m exclusion zone

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 25

around the Bioreactor is an additional management strategy which forms part of the
cooperation agreement with Veolia. The exclusion zone limits the mining activity in this
area to mine access, the rehabilitation of existing declines and drives and the backfilling of
any significant voids that remain from the previous mining operation.

The only real risk of measurable subsidence occurring is through unplanned strata failure.
To manage the risk associated with stope collapse and chimneying of the failure:

 Heron plans to use underhand stoping with cemented paste fill for most of the future
stopes. This method reduces the potential for stope collapse and chimneying because
stoping proceeds below an engineered material (paste fill).
 Design of stopes to dimensions that are likely to remain stable. Stopes would be
designed according to the actual ground conditions and site-specific experience
accumulated to that date.
 Contingency plans to rapidly fill any stope that does collapse or start chimneying.

A further measure of protection is provided by Heron’s monitoring program, which will

comprise:

 Continuing inspections of surface infrastructure and routine surveillance inspections.

These would cover the same points as the surveillance report required by the NSW
Dam Safety Committee.
 Additional monthly inspections when the water level of ED1 is within 0.3m of the
minimum freeboard.
 Periodic surveys to measure deformation of the ED1 embankment.
 Blast vibration monitoring at the ED1 embankment.
 Monitoring of stopes to identify collapse and/or chimneying if it does occur. This
monitoring would include visual assessments of underground operators, supervisors
and technical staff, and remote void surveys using laser scanners. These are routine
activities in underground mines.
 Continue pit slope monitoring, including periodic visual inspections, prism surveys and
water pressure measurements.
 Undertake periodic reviews of pit performance by suitably experienced engineers with
a good understanding of potential interactions between pits and underground mines.

A summary of the subsidence management controls and implications is provided in the

following table.

Table 3.1: Subsidence Impacts and Minimisation Summary

Aspect Impact Minimisation and Management
Cliffs and Natural topographic features There are no cliffs or natural topographic features
within the underground mine plan
Natural steep slopes No natural steep slopes occur within the mining area
Swamps and natural water bodies No natural swamps or other natural water bodies
exist within the mine plan
Natural creeks and waterways No natural creeks or waterways exist above the
proposed underground workings
Permanent flowing creeks No mining occurs beneath Crisps Creek

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 26

Aspect Impact Minimisation and Management
Ecological sensitive areas No mining occurs beneath any natural vegetation
community
Aboriginal Places and Sites No mining occurs beneath or near any known
Aboriginal Places or sites
Public Roads and Infrastructure Mine plan does not extend beneath Collector Road
Private property and residences Mine plan does not extend beneath privately owned
land or residential dwellings
Infigen owned wind turbines Mine plan does not extend beneath any
infrastructure owned or operated by Infigen
Bioreactor facility Subsidence protection measures including 200 m
exclusion zone and paste fill beneath crown pillar will
be employed to avoid impacts on the Bioreactor
Leachate inflow to mine workings Identification and sealing of leakage points.
Groundwater monitoring to include leachate
detection
Evaporation Dams Subsidence predictions confirm that no measurable
surface movement will occur
Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant Mine plan does not extend beneath the MBT Plant.
Subsidence predictions confirm that no measurable
surface movement will occur
Internal roads and hardstand Subsidence predictions confirm that no measurable
surface movement will occur
Tailings Dams No mining to occur beneath the existing tailings
dams or Tailings Storage Facility 4
New Processing Infrastructure No mining to occur beneath the new processing
infrastructure

3.9 Trigger Action Response Plan

The Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP) covering the underground extraction phase of
the project has been designed specifically for surface infrastructure and facilities controlled
by either Veolia or Heron. The trigger values, shown in Table 3.2 have been based on
current 3D modelling of displacements and surface movement.

Table 3.2 - TARPs

Surface Feature Trigger Value (mm Response
displacement)
Bioreactor (open cut highwall) 0 to 50 Within background range, no
actions required
50 to 150 Within tolerance range, continue
monitoring program, provide data
to Veolia on a monthly basis
150 to 200 Determine specific levels of strain
and tilt, assess risk of instability of
high wall faces and benches.
Provide data to Veolia
> 200 Advise Veolia of results and
obtain independent geotechnical
advice
Implement any specific mitigation
works advised by geotechnical
consultant in consultation with
Veolia.
Evaporation Dam Walls 0 to 50 Within background range, no
actions required
50 to 150 Within tolerance range, continue

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 27

 monitoring program, provide data
to Veolia on a monthly basis
150 to 200 Determine specific levels of strain
and tilt, assess risk of instability of
dam walls
Check of any visible signs of
cracking or leakage
Provide data to Veolia
> 200 Advise Veolia of results and
obtain independent geotechnical
advice
Implement any specific mitigation
works advised by geotechnical
consultant in consultation with
Veolia.
Roads and Pavements 50 to 150 Within tolerance range, continue
monitoring program, provide data
to Veolia on a monthly basis
<150 Undertake visual inspection for
any pavement damage
Correct pavement damage in
consultation with Veolia

Condition 3 of Schedule 3 of the Project Approval provides performance measures for the
underground extraction. Condition 3(a) requires that there is no measurable subsidence
caused by underground mining beneath the Woodlawn Landfill, tailings dams, and
evaporations dams on the site. Although the above TARPs take into account greater
amounts of subsidence, the expectation based on the use of paste backfill that there will be
minimal subsidence arising which would be beyond the capability of accurate survey. It is
also not anticipated that there will be any measurable surface damage arising from
underground activities including dewatering the workings and subsequent ore extraction.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 28

4. Management Planning
This Chapter provides details of the six component environmental management plans
required by DPE’s Extraction Plan Guidelines. The following points should be noted:

 The existing landform above the underground workings is highly disturbed but contains
approved water management structures and drainage systems.
 There are no rehabilitation activities proposed above the underground workings for the
life of the mine as these structures are required to support both Veolia’s Bioreactor and
the mining operation.
 There are no remaining biophysical environmental aspects as the area has been
substantially disturbed by past mining activities including open cut extraction, haul road
construction and dam development.
 There are no Aboriginal or European heritage aspects remaining.
 There are limited public safety issues as the entire site is privately owned and has well
established security facilities.

Out of the six required environmental management plans, only the Built Features
Management Plan contains relevant management provisions for the Woodlawn Mine. The
remaining plans are provided only to satisfy DPE’s draft Extraction Plan guidelines.

The determination of potential impacts due to underground mining was subject to a risk
assessment which is summarised below. The results of this assessment were used in the
development of the management plans described in Sections 4.3 to 4.9.

4.1 Risk Assessment

There are two main areas where ground movement due to the extraction of ore can
present risk: damage to surface features and the safety of site personnel. Underground
mining activities are covered by separate legislative requirements for mine site health and
safety. These issues are dealt with separately by the Mines Inspectorate and are not
covered in detail within this Extraction Plan.

Damage to surface features however is covered in detail. The identified risk areas are:

 Stability of the Bioreactor;

 Stability of ED3 Dam complex including leachate treatment dams;
 Stability of ED1 dam wall, floor and internal coffer dams;
 Leachate leakage from the Bioreactor to the underground workings;
 Surface movement around the Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant facility; and
 Impacts on any remaining structures.

There are no natural topographic features above or near the existing or proposed mine
workings. This includes swamps, creeks, waterways or ecological sensitive environments.
No privately owned land, including residences will be impacted by the proposed
underground mining nor will there be any impact on public infrastructure such as roads or
power lines. The existing and proposed mine workings do not extend beneath or near the
existing wind turbines operated by Infigen.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 29

 The land above the proposed mine workings underlie only pre-existing mine infrastructure
and land holdings. The interaction between the mine operation and Veolia controlled
structures become the main areas of risk management to be addressed.

4.2 Environmental Risk Management

The identified risks have been assessed in terms of the risk categories listed in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Risk Categories

Risk category Description

A May have medium to high impact and requires further investigation to determine
level of potential impact and to identify appropriate measures to manage and
mitigate the impact.
B May have low to medium impact; however, environmental impacts can be reduced
to acceptable levels through use of standard or identified management measures.
C Will have low impact and standard measures can be used to manage the impact.

Issues with an identified initial Risk Category ‘A’ were subsequently treated as ‘key issues’
for the EA and include surface water and groundwater. These issues were addressed in
detail in the EA and were subject to conditions to the Project Approval. With the
incorporation of management and mitigation measures, risk levels for each category were
reduced to either “B” or “C” class.

4.2.1 Specific Risks Relating to Surface Features

An updated risk assessment was undertaken following the finalisation of the Subsidence
Impact Assessment provided in Appendix B. The final risk rankings are presented in Table
4.2.

Table 4.2: Risk Assessment of Underground Mining

Risk Aspect Cause and Existing Controls Risk Further Treatment
Impact Category Options if Necessary
Damage to Cracking causing To be investigated once the Moderate Increase extraction buffer
Bioreactor leakage underground workings are around Bioreactor
accessed.
Repair of any crown pillar
damage by paste fill.
Use of fill mediums for all stopes.
Extraction design to minimise
surface movement
Provision of a 200 m buffer
Damage to Cracking causing Use of backfill in all stopes. Low Nil required unless monitoring
Evaporation Dam leakage Subsidence monitoring of dam suggests impacts are occurring
floor walls.
Damage to Cracking causing Subsidence monitoring of dam Low Nil
Evaporation Dam leakage walls.
walls Regular inspection
Structure damage Building damage Mine Plan does not extend Low Nil
MBT Plant beneath any existing and
proposed MBT structures
Roads and Surface cracking Subsidence predicted less than Low Nil
Infrastructure 150mm and no surface cracking

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 30

Risk Aspect Cause and Existing Controls Risk Further Treatment
Impact Category Options if Necessary
anticipated
Soils and Erosion Surface cracking Subsidence due to dewatering Low Nil
Decreased slope predicted less than 150mm and
stability no surface cracking anticipated.
No measurable subsidence
caused by underground
extraction
Biophysical Nil Not present Nil Nil
Environment
Heritage Nil Not present Nil Nil
Environment

The underground mine plan does not extend outside land owned by the operation. The
proposed underground mining method will reinforce the existing mine access drives and
paste fill any significant voids which will increase the stability of the underground mine,
relative to current conditions. The extraction method includes the progressive filling of
stopes with paste which greatly enhances stability and minimises surface movement.

The underground mine also includes an exclusion zone of 200m around the existing open
cut to further mitigate against any potential connectivity that could result in leachate or gas
flows into the underground mine or other impacts to the surface infrastructure as a result of
underground mining. The existing mine void liner coupled with additional bulkhead
construction will provide a robust barrier against future leakage.

Heron will be undertaking some works within the exclusion zone with the agreement of
Veolia. These works will be designed to improve long term stability of the Bioreactor.

Ongoing investigations and monitoring will be undertaken throughout the life of the mine, to
assess and mitigate against potential underground mining impacts as necessary. As
described above, the use of paste fill in underground extraction areas will remove the
potential for measurable surface subsidence to occur.

4.3 Water Management Plan

The Water Management Plan for the Woodlawn Mine was approved by DPE on 12th May
2017. The subsidence assessment identified that minor movement may occur due to the
dewatering of the flooded workings in the vicinity of ED1 and ED3. The drainage system
associated with these structures, including surface drains, internal catchments and
pumping systems will be unaffected by subsidence. No natural streams or water bodies lie
beneath the mine workings. The closest is Crisps Creek which is located over 700 m to
the north.

The following sections outline the key aspects of the current approved Water Management
Plan in terms of the DPEs Extraction Plan Guidelines.

4.3.1 Water Management Plan Objectives

The Water Management Plan has the following key objectives:

 Maintain the site as nil discharge for contaminated water.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 31

 Manage water flows between the main water management structures, particularly ED1
and ED2, the new Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) 4, the three existing tailings dams
and the new Hickory’s Paddock Pollution Control Dam.
 Minimise erosion and contain sediment from the construction program.
 Recycle and reuse water generated from the on site water storages and treated
leachate from the Bioreactor.
 Effectively manage Potentially Acid Forming Materials
 Reduce the potential for long term surface and groundwater contamination through
active management during operations and rehabilitation on completion.

Specific subsidence management measures are not required to achieve these objectives.

4.3.2 Overview of Water Management System

The mine operates under a zero discharge condition which requires the on-site
management of all waters that come into contact with the orebody or other material
extracted from the mine. Acid mine drainage potential exists in most areas disturbed by
mining.

Plan 3 shows existing water management system at Woodlawn and highlights the clean
water contours diverting water away from disturbed areas. The system is designed with
flexibility allowing drainage from disturbed areas to be pumped to either Evaporation Dam
1 or the tailings dams.

The site contaminated water inventory is a measure of the volume of contaminated water
held in major storage dams and is a key environmental indicator showing the effectiveness
of water management strategies over the life of mine. Monitoring has shown that there has
been a reduction in the contaminated water inventory since 1994, highlighting the
effectiveness of water management and rehabilitation strategies since that time.

Through a continuous improvement process, Woodlawn’s water management system has

evolved into an effective network of “clean” and “dirty” catchments utilising contour drains,
ponds and dams to provide a method of reducing the total inventory of water on site. This
strategy forms the basis of progressive rehabilitation into the future and will be unaffected
by the underground mining activity.

The design storm criterion for the tailings and evaporation dams is 1 in 100 year
recurrence interval (ARI) of 72 hours duration. The design criteria for the main pollution
control pond for the new surface facilities area is 1 in 10 year, 72 hour storm event. Water
can be transferred between any and all of the dams on site. This is an important
component of the water management system, particularly during the dewatering of the
underground workings but will otherwise be unaffected by the underground mining activity.

Runoff from the Bioreactor is pumped to ED3 for treatment which can be supplied to Heron
for further treatment and use in the processing plant. Heron will treat all recycled water
available on site in order to reduce make-up water from the Willeroo Borefield. All water
recycling functions will be unaffected by the underground mining operations.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 32

4.3.3 Water Management Performance Measures

No specific performance measures apply to the water management system with respect to
subsidence related issues. Performance measures for the water management system
include:

 No discharge of contaminated water to offsite water ways.

 Minimise erosion and scour in all new drains through appropriate design and
implementation of protective measures
 Timely repair of any existing drains to ensure operability.

An existing drain is located on the eastern side of ED3 which flows into ED1. This drain
takes runoff from the new mine entry along with surface runoff from the nearby dolerite
stockpile. This drain lies above the existing and proposed mine workings. Although no
damage to this drain is expected as a result of mining, the drain will be inspected on a
monthly basis as part of the overall site environmental inspection regime and if necessary
will be repaired as required.

4.3.4 Groundwater Management

The mine workings require dewatering to allow access for future extraction. The
dewatering process will ultimately remove approximately 1.4 GL of water in addition to
normal recharge. The groundwater will be stored in ED1 and ED2 and ultimately used in
the ore processing plant following suitable treatment.

Dewatering will occur continually while the mine is operational in order to maintain a safe
underground working environment. Some water will be returned from the surface for
equipment cooling and dust suppression while some water will be contained in the paste
fill. Any excess water will be returned to the surface along with groundwater ingress.

The Woodlawn Mine is required to maximise water recycling in order to minimise the
volume of make-up water from the Willeroo borefield, approximately 6km to the west.
Groundwater from the underground workings represents an important source of water for
recycling, particularly in the early years while the flooded workings are being dewatered.

There are no private groundwater users within SML20. The closest potential groundwater
user is over 4 km to the south west. Impacts from mining on this property are considered
remote.

There are currently 50 groundwater monitoring points around the Woodlawn site. These
sites are tested on a 6 monthly basis for total dissolved solids; Na, Ca, Na, K, HCO3, SO4,
Mg, Cl, F; filterable Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Al, Cd, Co, As, Hg; and bicarbonate,
carbonate, alkalinity and nitrogen (ammonia). The testing aims to identify if groundwater
has been altered by the mining operation or water storage areas by comparing the results
to a separate set of TARPs contained in the Water Management Plan. The results are
presented in the Annual Review and discussed with government stakeholders on an
annual basis.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 33

4.4 Land Management Plan

Land management issues are contained in the Vegetation and Rehabilitation Management
Plan which was approved by DPE on 12th May 2017. This plan incorporates the Tailings
Management Strategy, Vegetation Management Plan and Rehabilitation Management Plan
while specific soil and erosion control required during construction are contained in the
Construction Management Plan and the 2015 Mining Operations Plan which was approved
by DRG on 11th November 2015.

The following sections outline the key aspects of the current approved environmental
management plans in terms of the DPEs Extraction Plan Guidelines covering the Land
Management Plan. It should be noted that given the overlap with existing management
plans and the minimal nature of potential subsidence impacts which require no additional
controls or management provisions, Heron will not be formalising a separate Land
Management Plan.

4.4.1 Objectives for Land Management

Objectives for land management in relation to subsidence will include:

 Maintain embankment stability for ED1 and eastern embankments of ED3.

 Minimise impact on the Bioreactor including waste mass and gas extraction facilities.
 Minimise the risk of erosion in all areas above the existing mine workings and future
16 ha of additional area.
 Maintain functioning drainage embankments between the box cut and ED1.

4.4.2 Overview of Land Management

All land above the current and future underground workings is under the control and/or
ownership of either Heron Resources (through is fully owned subsidiary Tarago Operations
Pty Limited) and Veolia Environmental Services. Infigen Energy owns the Woodlawn
Windfarm on land to the south of the Bioreactor and will not be affected by the
underground mine.

Veolia and Heron have entered a Cooperation Agreement which provides specific
management activities for the Bioreactor. These management initiatives form the basis of
ongoing land management.

As there are no private landholdings, public land or public infrastructure above the
underground workings, only matters relating to existing mine infrastructure and the
Bioreactor are relevant.

4.4.3 Protection Measures for the Bioreactor

Protection of the Bioreactor forms part of the Cooperation Agreement with Veolia. Specific
methods will be progressively implemented as required in close consultation with Veolia.
Protection measures which currently apply include:

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 34

 apart from the access decline, no underground mining is undertaken within 200 m of
the perimeter of the Woodlawn Landfill.
 all stoping systems to include the use of paste fill to backfill the mined voids.
 Stability work to be undertaken on the crown pillar located directly below the
Bioreactor.
 Bulkheads to be installed to minimise leakage of leachate from the Bioreactor into the
underground workings.
 Meet agreed blast vibration limits within the Bioreactor.

In addition to the above, specific performance measures have been identified in the Project
Approval. These are detailed in the following section.

4.4.4 Land Management Performance Measures

The following performance measures are specified in the Woodlawn Mine Project
Approval:

 there is to be no measurable subsidence caused by underground mining beneath the

Woodlawn Landfill, tailings dams, and evaporations dams on the site
 remnant underground voids are long term stable to prevent subsidence
 material used to backfill underground voids is physically and chemically stable and
non-polluting
 include a Subsidence Monitoring Program to assist with the management of the risks
associated with subsidence, which validates the subsidence predictions, analyses the
relationship between the predicted and resulting subsidence effects, and informs
contingency planning and the adaptive management process in the underground
workings

4.4.5 Soils and Erosion Management

Only small remnant patches of the original soils exist above or near the extraction area.
Intact soils occur to the north of the extraction area between ED1 and the Veolia Office
Complex which will remain unaffected by underground mining.

The box cut for the new mine entry is located in an area previously used to stockpile
dolerite which may have been placed on the original underlying soils but which are now
highly disturbed and compacted.

The natural soils are generally highly erodible. The soils also exhibit surface sealing,
where the surface soil has become compacted and resistant to water filtration. Sheet
erosion of the topsoil is common, with stripping of the A-horizon resulting from clearing and
over grazing. The combination of past poor land management practices and the dispersive
nature of the soil have resulted in extensive sheet and gully erosion, particularly in the
western part of SML20.

The chemistry of the soils is also relevant with the average heavy metal concentrations
measured in soils approximately 500 m from the ore zone were 200 parts per million (ppm)

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 35

copper, 800 ppm lead and 300 ppm zinc. In comparison, chip samples taken from over the
ore zone indicated average heavy metal concentrations of 2,000 ppm copper, 8,000 ppm
lead and 2,000 ppm zinc. The naturally high metal content in the soils was the original
mechanism used to determine the location of the ore body.

These issues have been addressed in the Construction Environmental Management Plan
(CEMP) by designing adequate safeguards to avoid soil and subsoil loss from the
construction site, including the box cut and new mine entry site. Although any remnant
soils will be unaffected by underground mining, a range of control measures are contained
in the CEMP. The over-riding issue during the construction program is to reduce the risk of
soils and sediment from leaving the Hickory Paddock or from the box cut component of the
underground mine.

As the new mine entry site lies well within the existing pollution control system for the mine
and no remaining soils exist, no specific soil or water management provisions are
necessary to be included in this Extraction Plan. However, the Project Approval requires
that all earthworks undertaken on site should take into account the requirements of the
Guidelines Managing Urban Stormwater: Soils and Construction – Volume 1 and Volume
2E Mines and Quarries. This includes the design, installation and maintenance of all
erosion and sediment controls.

No specific additional management provisions are required as a result of the underground

mining operation.

4.5 Biodiversity Management Plan

A key environmental benefit of the Woodlawn Mine was that it presented an opportunity to
assess the project as if it was a greenfield project. Although the site has been previously
cleared firstly for agricultural activities and then subsequently disturbed by mining, it was
considered appropriate to establish a vegetation offset for the entire historic operation.
This is considered current best practice as it brings the original operation in line with
current approval conditions.

The initiative involves the rehabilitation of up to 71 ha of previously cleared agricultural land

to Western Tablelands Dry Forest vegetation community. By using this vegetation
community, biodiversity offsets would be used to recreate the vegetation that would have
once occupied the site, namely, Western Tablelands Dry Forest as described by Tozer et
al.

This vegetation community would be used not only to establish biodiversity offsets, but also
to revegetate sections of the mine footprint and also connecting sections of existing
habitat. Integrating future rehabilitation with existing rehabilitation liability would provide for
an integrated approach to rehabilitation of the whole site.

It should be noted however that these offsets were not put forward in relation to potential
subsidence impacts but rather against the original mine disturbance. No undisturbed
vegetation exists above the mining area.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 36

4.5.1 Biodiversity Management Objectives

Biodiversity management provisions are contained in the Vegetation and Rehabilitation

Management Plan which was approved by DPE on 12th May 2017. The overall biodiversity
objectives relate to the vegetation offset and rehabilitation provisions for the site. These do
not relate to mine subsidence or otherwise related to the underground mining operation.
Specifically, these objectives include:

 Rehabilitation and vegetation enhancement associated with the vegetation offset to

establish a minimum of 71 hectares of the Western Tablelands Dry Forest vegetation
community;
 Restoring native vegetation and fauna habitat on the revegetated area through
focusing on assisted natural regeneration, targeted vegetation establishment and the
introduction of fauna habitat features, including establishing and maintaining bat
habitat;
 Establish a representative number of species and at similar density to a reference
ecological community that is self-sustaining and long term viable;
 Maintain a self-sustaining vegetation community on the Rehabilitated Waste Rock
Dump; and
 Controlling weeds, feral pests, erosion and access to the revegetation areas.

4.5.2 Overview of Biodiversity Management

The Woodlawn Site is within the South Eastern Highlands Bioregion, and is within an area
that has experienced extensive clearing, disturbance due to previous land uses and is
fragmented. No threatened ecological communities were identified in the field survey area.

No native vegetation exists above the underground mine. A small area of Hickory Wattle
Low Open Forest was disturbed as part of the construction of the new processing facility in
Hickory’s Paddock.

Native regrowth exists around the mine site on land controlled by Heron. The vegetation is
generally disturbed, and not entirely characteristic of the original Western Tablelands Dry
Open Forest. However, it will form the basis for the proposed biodiversity offset as it
contains largely intact soils and natural seedbank.

4.5.3 Biodiversity Performance Measures

Monitoring of the impact of subsidence on biodiversity is not required given the lack of any
native vegetation above the underground mine. The approved Vegetation Management
Plan however provides for performance monitoring of the ecological offset area. The
performance measures will be based on Landscape Function Analysis, which uses the
Ecosystem Function Analysis tool, to reflect if the site is on a trajectory towards a
sustainable ecosystem. Permanent transects and photo reference sites will be established
around the Woodlawn site corresponding to two key landscape units and a reference site.
The monitoring program will be run annually but will include alternating seasons to obtain
natural season variability over the project life.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 37

The program involves visual assessments of ten factors that are compared temporally and
to reference site data, anticipating progression toward the reference site over time. The
results of this monitoring will be reported each year in the Annual Review.

4.6 Heritage Management Plan

The Woodlawn Heritage Management Plan was approved by DPE on 12 th May 2017.
Based on previous Aboriginal and Heritage surveys, no areas of Aboriginal or Natural
Heritage will be impacted by the entire Woodlawn Mine Project. The approved Heritage
Management Plan does however provides appropriate management, conservation and
protection of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage items identified on the site should
any items of significance be discovered.

Given that the area above the underground mine has been highly disturbed by past mining
activities, it is highly unlikely that any Aboriginal Heritage items would exist and previous
extensive surveys did not find any. No management provisions, safeguards or
performance measures are therefore necessary.

4.7 Built Features Management Plan

The underground mine development will extend below a portion of the Bioreactor, ED3,
ED1 and access roads between the Bioreactor and the dams, as indicated on Plate 1.

4.7.1 Old Open Pit Void (Bioreactor)

A large void with a volume of 25 Million cubic meters was formed as a result of ore
extraction through previous open cut mining operations, which ceased in 1987. This void
is now operated by Veolia as a bioreactor and accepts around 20% of the putrescible
waste generated in Sydney, as shown in Plate 10. The gas harvested in is operation
generates up to 7MW of electrical power.

The original underground workings were accessed from the open pit and lie beneath the
west wall, shown in detail in Plate 11. Prior to the commencement of Veolia’s operations,
the decline portals were backfilled, and concrete bulkheads were constructed inside each
decline. These portals have since been covered beneath the surface of the bioreactor.

The western wall of the Bioreactor is partly underlain by the old underground workings. A
portion of these workings will be accessed and refurbished, primarily the existing decline
which will be used to access new mining areas. The west wall of the Bioreactor also
contains a leachate collection pond. This pond collects the initial leachate from the within
the waste which is aerated prior to pumping into ED3. The pond shown in Plate 12 is
underlain by existing underground workings only and falls within the 200 m exclusion zone
around the Bioreactor.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 38

Plate 10 Open Cut Mine Void Operated by Veolia as a Bioreactor

Plate 11 – Bioreactor Western Wall

Systematic measurements of blast vibration and surveying of pit slopes will be undertaken
by Heron to monitor the effects of the proposed underground mining operation. These
responsibilities are set out in the Cooperation Deed between Veolia and Heron, and other
documentation.

4.7.2 Evaporation Dams

As a non-discharge site, evaporation dams were constructed at Woodlawn to manage the

volumes of water used underground and in processing the ore in addition as a buffer to
rainfall events. Three dams remain on site, covering an area of approximately 100ha.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 39

Plate 12: Evaporation Dam Number 1

The evaporation dams were purpose built to store excess water from the mining operation.
ED3 forms part of the water management system for the Bioreactor facility and is not used
by Heron. The remaining two evaporation dams, ED1 and ED2, will continue to be used
for the ongoing mining operation.

ED1 (Plate 12) was constructed in 1987 to increase the Woodlawn Mine’s capacity to
manage the site water balance and as necessary evaporate excess water. It was used for
that purpose until the mine ceased operations, and capping of the spoil piles was
completed in the late 1990s. ED1 has a capacity of approximately 1,347 megalitres (ML).

ED2 was constructed in mid-1989 to increase the mine’s capacity to evaporate site water
runoff. It was used for that purpose until the mine ceased operations, and capping of the
waste emplacements was completed in the late 1990s. ED2 has a capacity of
approximately 846 ML. ED2 will not be undermined by the proposed underground mine
workings but will continue to be used, along with ED1 to store underground mine water
pumped from the mine.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 40

Plate 13 – Evaporation Dam 3

Evaporation Dam 3 (ED3) shown on Plate 13 is operated by Veolia as part of the

Bioreactor leachate storage and treatment system. The dam has been subdivided into
several smaller dams. The existing and proposed underground workings lie beneath the
eastern edge of the dam. The main dam wall will not be undermined nor would any
internal dam walls.

ED1 and ED2 are Prescribed Dams under the Dams Safety Act. Both dams have been the
subject of formal surveillance reporting since 1997.

Notification Plans showing underground mining beneath a small area of ED1 was lodged
with the Dam Safety Committee (DSC) in April 2017 following the DSC endorsement of
both the underground mining and hydraulic mining at Woodlawn on 5 April 2017. Liaison
with the DSC will continue as required during the mining operations.

The management of these dams will require the systematic surveying and monitoring for
any subsidence effects, particularly the northern embankment of ED1. Heron will establish
suitable monitoring regimes and will seek expert advice from an independent dam
engineer.

4.7.3 Other Areas above the Underground Mine Workings

The underground mine workings also cross an access road between ED3 and ED1. The
road lies between the Bioreactor and ED3 and will also be used to access the Paste Plant
and Box Cut from the northern side of the site. This road is shown on Plate 14 and
consists of a compacted all weather unsealed road suitable for heavy earthmoving
vehicles. The road will be managed by Heron and maintained as required.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 41

Plate 14 – Internal Access Road

Other infrastructure within Heron’s area of control include the three existing tailings dams,
new processing area in Hickory’s Paddock and a new tailings storage facility (TSF4),
Rehabilitated Waste Rock Emplacement and various pollution control dams. None of this
infrastructure will be undermined by the proposed underground workings.

Other infrastructure under Veolia’s control includes the Mechanical Biological Treatment
Plant, office and workshop complex. This infrastructure will also not be undermined or
otherwise be impacted by the proposed underground workings.

4.7.4 Built Features Performance Measures

The following performance measures will apply to all built features:

 Maintain the integrity and function of the Bioreactor.

 Maintain structural integrity of all dam walls.
 Maintain permeability requirements of all dam floors.
 Maintain operability of any internal access roadway.

The above performance measures are covered by the Cooperation Agreement between
Heron and Veolia.

4.7.5 Built Features Management

The subsidence management strategies described in Section 3.8 will apply to built features
management. These include the use of paste fill, stope designed for permanent stability,
the 200 m exclusion zone around the Bioreactor and subsidence monitoring.

4.8 Public Safety Management Plan

The underground extraction area lies wholly within the Woodlawn Mine and Bioreactor
facility. The site is fenced and security provisions are in place. Only authorised personnel
and contractors are permitted to access the site. Public access is arranged from time to
time but is strictly controlled and supervised by authorised personnel.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 42

Warning signs have been erected on the fences on all sides of the mine and Heron will put
in place any additional controls as considered appropriate to prevent unauthorised access
to the general public. All visitors to the site will undergo a safety induction and be escorted
at all times by Heron personnel.

No further or additional public safety management is required as a result of the proposed

underground mining activities.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 43

5. Subsidence Monitoring Program
5.1 Subsidence Effects Monitoring Program

Heron Resources has developed an environmental monitoring program covering both the
construction and operational phases. The monitoring program covers air quality, surface
water, groundwater and subsidence. Monitoring activities relevant to underground mining
and subsidence will include:

 Survey control GPS monitoring stations located at each evaporation dam wall. Data
collected quarterly commencing one month before stope development.
 Survey control GPS monitoring stations located within the Bioreactor in consultation
with Veolia. Data collected quarterly commencing one month before stope
development.
 Groundwater monitoring around each evaporation dam with samples collected
quarterly. Samples analysed for leachate indicators including Ammonia and Total
Organic Carbon.
 Monitoring of water inflows into the mine workings to determine source.

Environmental inspections of the surface features above the underground mining area will
occur on a monthly basis. The inspections will report on any detected ground movement,
deformation or surface cracking. Any indicators of surface movement will be investigated.
Normal reporting requirements for underground mining activities will occur. These will
include:

 Records of extraction tonnage;

 Monthly survey of development and stopes;
 Records of paste fill activities, areas and volumes;
 Records of all unplanned movements including rock mass, footwall and hanging wall
stability;
 Records of roadway stability including bolting and meshing activities.

All surface and underground inspections will be recorded and remedial action with
responsibilities and timeframes noted.

5.2 Subsidence Parameters to be Measured

Given the very small area of potential subsidence movement, ie 16 ha, the subsidence
monitoring program will consist of no more than 4 GPS stations. One will be located on
each of ED1 and ED2 with ED2 being largely a background monitoring location. Two
additional stations will be established within the Bioreactor in consultation with Veolia.

Each station will consist of a survey peg and recorded 3 dimensional (x, y and z)
coordinates. Since measurable movement is not anticipated, the use of multiple stations to
determine subsidence strain, tilt and curvature is not considered necessary.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 44

Industry standard GPS survey techniques will be applied. These will be accurate to
approximately 10mm. This is considered sufficient to provide early detection of
measurable subsidence. Should this arise, DRG and DPE will be informed and additional
subsidence monitoring stations will be established.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 45

6. Implementation
6.1 Reporting Framework

All environmental monitoring requirements specified in Mining Lease, Project Approval,

EPA licence and approvals will be undertaken and the data kept on site. Copies are
provided to the Mine Manager, who in consultation with the site Environmental Officer,
reviews the data on a monthly basis. A summary of the data is provided to regulatory
authorities as required by statutory approvals. Other data collected as part of project or
auditing procedures are reported internally in accordance with the EMS verification
procedures.

An Annual Review will continue to be provided to the following agencies:

 Department of Planning and Environment – Division of Resources and Geoscience;

 Department of Planning and Environment;
 Water NSW;
 Goulburn Mulwaree Council and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council;
 NSW Department of Primary Industries - Water;
 NSW Office of Environment and Heritage;
 NSW Environment Protection Authority, and
 NSW Roads and Maritime Services.

The results of the subsidence monitoring program will be provided in the Annual Review
and made available to government agencies. The Annual Review will be made publicly
available on the Heron web page.

6.2 Extraction Plan Review

This Extraction Plan will be reviewed on an annual basis and updated if required. As this is
the first Extraction Plan for the project, it is anticipated that the first comprehensive review
will occur within 12 months of the commencement of stoping. At this time the detailed
design of the initial stopes will have been completed and the subsidence monitoring
program commenced.

Each Extraction Plan review will include the results of subsidence monitoring which will be
used to inform of any potential additional management controls being considered
necessary.

6.3 Component Management Plan Review

The component management plans contained in this Extraction Plan have been based on
the approved environmental management plans operating at Woodlawn. In accordance
with the overall Environmental Management Strategy (EMS), each of these plans will be
reviewed on an annual basis and updated if necessary. Any changes to the overall site
plans be made the changes will be reflected in the Extraction Plan.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 46

6.4 Key Responsibilities

The following section details the respective responsibilities of key personnel on site.

The Managing Director has overall responsibility for the implementation of the Extraction
Plan as well as to review and approve expenditure and resources necessary to effectively
implement the EMS and individual management plans.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports to the Managing Director and is responsible
for the development and operation of the Project. The COO will generally be the key
contact with government stakeholders.

The General Manager is responsible for the conduct of mining and processing operations
and provides direction to the Mine Manager and Environmental Officer.

The Mine Manager is responsible for the day to day management of the mine, mine
personnel, underground extraction and safety. The Mine Manager will report to the COO
on a monthly basis on the environmental performance of mine and liaise with the
Environmental Officer on environmental matters as required.

The Environmental Officer will be responsible for the following activities under this
Extraction Plan:

 Provide technical assistance on environmental matters to the Mine Manager and

General Manager.
 Undertake the necessary environmental monitoring program.
 Organise external environmental experts as required.
 Develop Corrective Action Programs in consultation with the Mine Manager and
monitor their implementation.
 Develop and implement appropriate environmental training for the key mine
personnel.

6.5 Community Complaints

Heron currently maintains a community complaints register that identifies actions required
to resolve community issues. The main phone line advertised in the white pages is the
designated community complaints line and is answered at all times during hours of
operation. The complaints register will record the following details:

 Complainant name and contact details.

 Nature of the complaint (noise, dust, traffic etc.).
 Time and date of the complaint.
 Specifics of the complaint.
 Actions taken to resolve the complaint.
 Confirmation that the complaint has been resolved.

In the event that an issue is unresolved, the register will include details of the outstanding
issues and any actions that are required. It is recognised that some issues may not have a
simple resolution and have resulted in multiple complaints. These form part of the ongoing
environmental improvement program for the operation.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 47

Given that the extraction area lies wholly within the Woodlawn Mine Site premises, it is
considered highly unlikely that there will be community complaints associated with
subsidence issues.

6.6 Environmental Training

This Extraction Plan falls under the general requirements of the Woodlawn Environmental
Management Strategy (EMS). This document requires that all future employees at
Woodlawn receive an appropriate level of environmental awareness training. This training
will be tailored to suite the mine and covers the following levels:

 Managers (including Electrical, Mechanical, Surface and Underground Managers and

Supervisors).
 Surface workforce.
 Underground workforce.
 Induction level for visitors.

Competency based training will be provided to key personnel. This training will cover
environmental legislation, performance criteria, details of specific pollution control system
for the site and emergency planning.

General surface workforce will be trained in specific site procedures and management of
pollution control systems while all employees are made aware of the Woodlawn Mine’s
environmental obligations and statutory requirements.

It is expected that during the construction phase that all contractors and subcontractors will
receive suitable environmental training to ensure that they are aware of their
responsibilities and are competent to carry out the work. Environmental requirements will
be explained to construction contractors during their site induction and on-going training via
tool box meetings, briefings, notifications and the like.

All construction contractors and including subcontractors will receive induction/ training in
the following:

 Heron’s Environmental Policy.

 Site environmental objectives and targets specific to the Woodlawn Mine.
 Understanding individual authorities and responsibilities.
 Site environmental rules.
 Potential consequences of departure from rules.
 Emergency procedure and response (e.g. Spill clean-up).
 Basic understanding of their legal obligations.
 Relevant traffic rules include mine access road speed limits, interactions with Veolia
and Infigen traffic and operations, dust management, and maintaining appropriate
behaviour when using the surrounding public roads.

As there are no areas of environmental sensitivity that exists above the existing or
proposed mine workings, specific training in relation to environmental aspects associated
with this Extraction Plan is not considered necessary.

Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan Page 48

Appendix A – Plans
 k
Cree

735 000 E

740 000 E

149° 30' E

149° 40' E
Willeroo SML 20 (The Woodlawn Site)

Tarago Operations area 35° 00' S

(The Project Site) Lake
Bathurst
Veolia operational site
(The Veolia Site)
"Willeroo" Main road, secondary road
Powerline Tarago
LAKE
Dam
6 120 000 N
SML GEORGE 6 120 000 N
Creek 20 Creek
a
yig Allianoyonyiga Local Government Boundary
on 1016m
n oy Drainage catchment boundary

Cr
lia
Al

isp
Infigen Woodlawn Wind Farm
turbines 35° 10' S

s
Col
lect
or -
Tar
ago
LGA

Roa
d Woodlawn 0 5 10km
e
Farm n
r li
e Bungendore
E

Cr
o
ARE

WOLLONDILLY
LGA

ee
EVAPORATION

k
DAM 1
W

(ED1)
MUL
G

CATCHMENT
RAN

RN -

VEOLIA
PA L E

BIOREACTOR
MH
LBU

MINE
GOU

VOID
Tarago
831m

LAKE GEORGE SML Tarago

TAILINGS 20
DAM NORTH
(TDN)

CATCHMENT TAILINGS
DAM WEST
(TDW
GR

TAILINGS
DAM
E AT

SOUTH
6 115 000 N (TDS) 6 115 000 N
MGA Zone 55
"Torokina"
"Pylara"
SML
20
River
DI

New South Wales

VI
732 500E

CO
DI

LL
RFS EC

e
ROAD
NG

Newcastle TO

re
Woodlawn SYDNEY R

ar
Wollongong

lw
CANBERRA
Sally
RA

RO

Mu
August 2015
930m AD
E
NG

DOR
200 km GEN
BUN
E

Topographic map source : Lake Bathurst 8827-4-N

Plan 1
0 500 1000 1500 2000 metres Woodlawn Site - Locality Plan
 0

735000E
734000E
733000E

736000E
79
5

5
78

78

785 89
7
Evaporation
Dam 1 78
9

(ED1)

78
3
9
78

735 000m E
734 000m E
Lot 2

775
Extent of planned DP827588
786 DP1179305
Lot 2 new underground 21
workings 1
DP1179305

8
CO

78
1 LL
EC
Veolia TO
R
Site Entry

791
ED 3 79
5 Veolia
Office
0

Office
80

792

1
North -

79
0
TA

1
77

79

79
N2 R

792

78 7 786
Extent of previous 0 AG

800
77
79
1
Pipeline O
9 underground

2
800
78

79

0
78
8
5

77
79 workings
N3 Office and
N1 6
Car Park
79
790

0
Pipeline

76
1
79

0
805

79
Ventilation

3
9

79
79
Shafts

2
79
5

0
78

79
0
0 77
79

ED3 South
Stormwater

0
76
790 0
75 Site Runoff Dam

R
765
0

O
78

5
e

77

AD
0
elin

79
De-watering 75
8

0
73
Bore
Pip

Paste Plant 0

758
77

792
ED3 South- 79
2
785

0
0

790
South Lagoon 5

8
79
79

9
76

75
Processing Area

5
71
0
6117000N 6117000N
5

78

5
4

78

6 117 000mN

72
78

6 117 000mN
s
od
th
me
Box Cut nd
ou

es
rg
r ROM Pad
790

lin
de
5

76
76
un

9
0

pe
74
82

0
by

77
MINE

Pi
ed
ork
Mine bew VOID 80
0
a to
0

Entry
78

e Veolia Bioreactor0

80 5
l ar
0

79
80

5
72
5
a
82
Tot 74 79
0

0
0

80
72
5
78

797

0
5
Lot 3

76
80
80
0 Lot 3

5 e
85 in
Ha el
5

p
Pi
84

ul
Ro
Lot 4

800
78
0
ad

6
Tailings

78
5
77

5
86
0

Storage Facility
79

Waste
R E H A B I L I TAT E D (TSF4)

5
0

Rock

76
77

5
85 0
86
WASTE 76
5 0
86 Emplacement
ROCK WASTE ROCK

Pipeline
5
5 DP827588
0
86
86 DP827588
DAM 76 20
20
DUMP
864
96
9

863
75

6
86
0

86
77

e
Pipelin
0

0
1

78
85
78

885
845

0
80
880
0 05 July 2017

87
3
75 86
8
Creeks
87
85

5
0

0
745 0

758 759
86
0 5
86 85
Drainage channels

800
870
5

750
78

9 759
860
855
795
Processing area drains

75975
1
860
85 850

800
Above ground pipeline
5

845
85

840

2
835

80
0

84 830 5
86
0
85

6116000N
5
82 6116000N Evaporation dam

0
5

82
84

81
833

0
0

81
83
5
766
76

8
76
830

865 83
0
5
80
5
76
9 Tailings dam
83
0
82

860

776698
7
77
0

Other dams

76
84

5
84

855
845

Tailings Dam
0

84
7

850
77

84
845 0
North (TDN) Planned Heron Resources

7
79
5

infrastructure
84

835

803
850

840
83

DP754919
Dam Safety Committee underground
5
83

74
0

extraction notification area

83
5
5

82
78

5
77

Tailings Dam Vertical projection of previous

West underground workings (yellow)
835

and planned workings (blue)

840

(TDW

4
79

791
735000E
734000E
733000E7

0
5

79
(TDS) 79
82

830
5
79
5

84
82

Plan No: TOP-G-005 Date: July 2017

0
8
78
87

Datum : GDA MGA Zone 55

Plan 2
0 100 200 300 400 500 metres
SML20 Woodlawn
Scale 1:10000 at A3 Extraction Plan - Site Details
 Alli

737 500 E
735 000 E
ano

732 500E
yon
yig
a E
NG
Cre RA
ek LAKE GEORGE D ING
CATCHMENT DIVI
AT WOLLONDILLY
GRE "Woodlawn
CATCHMENT
Farm"

LGA
Cr
isp
Evaporation s
Evaporation Dam 1
Dam 2 Cr
(ED1) ee
(ED2) k
LGA

EE
Planned
WAR

MBT Facility Proposed

Ventilation Veolia Proposed
G

6 117 500 N Shafts Office Site Entry 6 117 500 N

RAN

MUL

Datum
GDA MGA Zone 55
PA L E

Veolia Office
RN -

Evaporation Dam 3 Bioreactor

South
MH

Paste
(ED3S) Plant Proposed
MINE Processing
LBU

VOID Plant
GOU

Co
Proposed

llec
Proposed
Box Cut and Waste Rock

tor
Emplacement
Mine Entry

-T
Proposed Tailings 78 ha

ara
Haul Road Storage total

go
TSF4
SML 2
0

Ro
WASTE
R E H A B I L I TAT E D Water Tanks

ad
ROCK
DAM
WASTE ROCK
DUMP
SML 20 (The Woodlawn Site)
SML 2
Tarago Operations area (The Project Site) Tailings Dam 0
North
Veolia operational site (The Veolia Site) (TDN)

Proposed Heron Resources Infrastructure

Cri
Tailings Dam Magazine

sps
Main road, track West
(TDW
66kV Powerline

Tailings and Evaporation Dams Tailings Dam

Cree
South
Embankment, Dam (TDS)

k
Watercourse
6 115 000 N
Building

Local Government Area

Drainage catchment boundary

GRE

LAKE GEORGE
CATCHMENT
AT

Infigen Woodlawn Wind Farm turbines "Pylara"

DIV

WOLLONDILLY
IDI

VEGETATION AND REHABILITATION CATCHMENT

NG

Vegetation offset area

737 500 E
735 000 E
732 500E

RAN

20 May 2016
GE

0 500 1000 m PLAN 3

Woodlawn Project
N Vegetation and Rehabilitation Management Plan
 DP126600
173

732 500 E
1
DP754919
87 DP754919
820 96 DP754919
16
785 810
SML 20 (The Woodlawn Site)
DP754919 79 790
800
"Woodlawn
0
12
Farm" MB3 Tarago Operations Project Approval Area
DP754919 (The Project Site).
68 790
MB13 NB1 Veolia Environmental Services
115 Coffer

0
EPL11436/20476

79
MB14 790 780
MB20 Dam DP754919
NB2 MB12 790 NB8 17
DP754919
NB7 90 Infigen Woodlawn Wind Farm

785
MB19
78 MB11 785
EPL20436
0
ED2SCT NB4 SPRING2 DP754919
NB3 ED2 35
FRC
MB10 Planned Heron Resources infrastructure
Evaporation MB2 NB6
Evaporation Dam 1 DP754919
(ED1) Cadastral boundary and DP/lot number

780
Dam 2 74

(ED2) ED1

79
Lot 2 NB5

Cr
0
0

77
Lot 1

isp
Mine Office

780
GMBH2
0
79
& Car Park

s
MW9 Ventilation DP1179305
Met

800
780
Shafts MB1 1
770
760
Site Entry
5
79
MW6R ED3-N4 Station WM201
760
Veolia
750

Office

80
N2 MW10S
LGF PCD
740

0 MW6 N3 N1
MB7 LGEEP
800
DP754919
MW8 DP827588
13 ED3 Sth WM203 760
WM202 P100 21
790 Stormwater DG24 69
WM4 WM300
Paste
WM5 MB6 Plant
De-watering GMBH1 Processing
ED3B Bore Plant
P44
Pond
MINE 3 VOID WM1 DG22
ED3 Sth- P58

Co
81
V E O LMB13
780
Sth Lagoon 5
0
79 WM3 IA
MB4
0
P45 ROM

llec
Box Cut & P59
BIOREACTOR 770

8
Pad

20
WM200 Mine Entry

tor
790
MINE VOID 765

83
810
Lot 3

80 810

0
Veolia Bioreactor

780

0
GMBH4 MB8

78
820

79
0
77
800
830 Lot 3

H
0
GEB 78

83

au

0
0
MB16 0 P38 84 0
85

83
Tailings

lR

-
75
MB17 Storage Facility
0
0 84

oa

Tar
760
WASTE Lot 4 (TSF4)
SML 2

d
MB15 8 Waste 70

a
ROCK
0
0 50
0

86 Water
7

go
Rock SP3C
0
77

Cr
DAM DP827588
790 78

5
DP750033 R E H A B I L I TAT E D Tanks

78
SP2C 20

790

ee
179 100 800

79
81
WRDAM WASTE ROCK

k
0

0
790

Ro

830
860
80

DUMP NTP2 NTP1 July 2017

DG33

880
0 ad
0

0
86
81
850 DP754894
870
84 259

20
0 860

8
850
SML 2
830 77
0
0
83
Tailings Dam
0
MB5 820
820
0
810

8100
83

810
North (TDN) 80
80

0
77
860
0

78 0

765
850 84

79
ETP8
820

0
0

0
105

277
840 830 NTD

0
SP11B

83
780

Tailings Dam 770

3 DP114586

0
78
0
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SITES & SITE NUMBER DP754919 West
79
13
835
840

780
74
(TDW 0
0
82
79
Groundwater 81
0 790
0
80
Surface Water 0
85
84
0 Tailings Dam 79 790
Dust WTD 0
83
0
South 780
X1 780
DP534616
1
Dust - HVAS (High Volume Air Sampler) (TDS) X2 4
83

Y1
85 0

0
82

84
0

83

DP313945

770
810

0
0

830
EPA Sites 2
80
79

STD
0

830
85040 SP
0

Noise
820
8
86
80 0

76
75 76
0
Z1 F7 77STDRW
870

790

5
70
F1 MB21D
OWNERSHIP OF MONITORING SITES E3

2785
8
87 80
109 MB22S

770
0

0 775
760
83

86
Veolia Environmental Services EPL 11436 DP754919 0 DP954149
75 Pt Lot 85
10 1
0

5
0
765

790
78
82

79
Tarago Operations EPL 20821
800

840
DP523960
Shared EPL sites 830 1
80
0

Tarago Operations SML 20 monitoring sites "Pylara" HVAS site

820 DP754919
23
DG28

737 500 E
DP754919
DP754919 29 DP357155
57 1 May 2017
TOP-G-006

Datum : GDA MGA Zone 55

0 500 1000 m
PLAN 4
Woodlawn Project
N Environmental Monitoring Sites
Appendix B – Subsidence Impact Assessment
 Heron Resource Limited

Subsidence Predictions and Impact Assessment in

support of the Extraction Plan for the Woodlawn
Underground Mine

February 2018

Authors:

Declan Franzmann B. Eng. (Mining), FAusIMM(CP)

Crosscut Consulting
Citraen Pty. Limited
ACN 006 972 907
Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... 4
2.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................ 5
2.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................. 5
2.2 GEOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.3 EXISTING WOODLAWN UNDERGROUND MINE ....................................................... 6
2.4 PROPOSED EXTRACTION AREA................................................................................ 7
2.5 MINE PLAN .................................................................................................................... 9
2.6 EXISTING MINE WORKINGS ........................................................................................ 9
2.7 EXLUSION ZONE ........................................................................................................ 10
2.8 BOX CUT AND PORTAL ............................................................................................. 10
2.9 ACCESS DEVELOPMENT .......................................................................................... 10
2.9.1 Decline and Level Development.................................................................... 11
2.9.2 Rehabilitation of Declines and Level Development .................................... 11
2.9.3 Vertical Development ..................................................................................... 11
2.9.4 Mine Bulkheads .............................................................................................. 12
2.9.5 Ground Support Parameters ......................................................................... 12
2.9.6 Mine Geometry and Depth ............................................................................. 13
2.9.7 Geotechnical Characteristics of Country Rock at the Woodlawn Mine .... 14
2.9.8 Geological Structures and Characteristics .................................................. 15
2.10 EXTRACTION METHODS ........................................................................................... 17
2.10.1 Stope Design ................................................................................................. 18
3.0 SUBSIDENCE .............................................................................................................................. 19
3.1 SUBSIDENCE AREA DEFINITION ............................................................................. 19
3.2 SUBSIDENCE PREDICTIONS .................................................................................... 20
3.3 MECHANICS OF POTENTIAL SUBSIDENCE ............................................................ 22
3.3.1 Mine Dewatering ............................................................................................. 22
3.3.2 Subsidence relating to ore extraction .......................................................... 22
3.3.3 Chimney Failure .............................................................................................. 23
4.0 IDENTIFICATION OF SURFACE FEATURES ........................................................................... 23
4.1 SURFACE FEATURES POTENTIALLY IMPACTED .................................................. 23
4.1.1 Natural Features ............................................................................................. 23
4.1.2 Built Features .................................................................................................. 23
4.2 SURFACE FEATURES NOT IMPACTED ................................................................... 25
4.2.1 Surrounding Features .................................................................................... 25
4.2.2 Tailings Dams ................................................................................................. 26
4.2.3 Original Plant Area/Loadout Facility............................................................. 28
4.2.4 Hickory’s Paddock.......................................................................................... 28
4.2.5 Rehabilitated Waste Rock Emplacement ..................................................... 29
4.2.6 Other Disturbed Areas ................................................................................... 30
4.3 PREDICTION METHODS............................................................................................. 31
4.4 SUBSIDENCE IMPACTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................... 31
4.5 SUBSIDENCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ................................................. 31
5.0 SUMMARY ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................... 32
6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 34

Page 2 of 34
Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 – Woodlawn ore lenses (looking north east) ..........................................................................6
Figure 2.2 - Original open pit and underground workings ......................................................................7
Figure 2.3 - Surface and expression of underground workings .............................................................8
Figure 2.4 – Section of mine workings looking 30° from north ..............................................................8
Figure 2.5 – Location of planned workings ..............................................................................................9
Figure 2.6 - Annual depth of mining operations.................................................................................... 14
Figure 2.7 - Simplified Geology ............................................................................................................... 14
Figure 2.8 - Perspective view showing northern fault zone ................................................................. 16
Figure 2.9 - Perspective view showing southern fault zone ................................................................ 16
Figure 2.10 - Underhand Open Stoping Mining Method ....................................................................... 17
Figure 3.1 – Site Layout look to the south southwest .......................................................................... 20
Figure 3.2 - Deformation Modelling ........................................................................................................ 21
Figure 3.3 – Plan of forecast incremental damage associated with future underground mining .... 22
Figure 4.1 - Evaporation Dam 1 ............................................................................................................... 24
Figure 4.2 - Open Cut Mine Void Operated by Veolia as a Bioreactor (looking south) ..................... 25
Figure 4.3 – Aerial photo of total site ..................................................................................................... 26
Figure 4.4 - Tailings Dam South .............................................................................................................. 27
Figure 4.5 - West Tailings Dam ............................................................................................................... 28
Figure 4.6 - Hickory’s Paddock ............................................................................................................... 29
Figure 4.7 - Runoff Dam at Base of Rehabilitated Waste Rock Dump ................................................ 30

LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 - Lateral Development Design Profiles .................................................................................. 11
Table 2.2 - Rock Type Parameters .......................................................................................................... 12
Table 2.3 - Development Support Systems............................................................................................ 13
Table 2.4: Summary of Rockmass Conditions (Beck) .......................................................................... 15
Table 2.5 – Feasibility study stope design parameters ........................................................................ 18
Table 5.1: Subsidence Impacts and Minimisation Summary ............................................................... 33

Page 3 of 34
Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Heron Resources Limited is developing the Woodlawn Mine to exploit the Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold and
Silver mineralisation that comprise the resource base. There are two areas that mining will focus:

1. The polymetallic resource contained within the historic tailings storage facilities (TSF) that were
the residue of earlier processing operations between 1978 and 1998; and

2. The insitu, high grade polymetallic resource that will be extracted using modern underground
mining techniques and processed concurrently with the TSF resource.

This report provides data on the mine geometry, mining methods and other factors that will influence strata
behaviour, details of surface features and potential impacts on these features.

Generally, an extraction plan and subsidence assessment are completed for longwall coal mines where the
system of mining involves the extraction of the coal seam, which is typically between 2 and 5 metres thick,
150 to 300 metres wide and 1,000 to 3,500 metres long. This results in the collapse of the roof above the
coal seam which in turn may lead to the wide spread subsidence of the natural surface above the mine.

The mining methods chosen for the Woodlawn Mine is based on longhole open stoping. Ore is extracted
in stopes that typically measure 5 to 10 metres wide, 20 metres high by 20 metres long. Once the ore has
been extracted the void is backfilled using tailings material from the mineral processing operation, typically
combined with cement. The aim is to extract the ore without causing the collapse of the surrounding rock
mass. Once the cement has had sufficient time to cure and develop strength, the adjacent stope can be
mined.

The geometry of the ore bodies that comprise the Woodlawn Mine are discrete and have limited width (from
2 to 20 metres) and strike length (less than 100 metres). They are generally steeply dipping at more than
55° (from horizontal) and may have considerable vertical extent (+300 metres). As the mining plan
progresses over time, the depth of mining below the surface increases quickly.

The rigorous application of the proposed mining method, the tight filling of mined stopes and the natural
orebody geometry at Woodlawn mean that the impact of subsidence on surface features is likely to be
negligible in magnitude and the total area influenced by potential subsidence effects.

This report describes the mining processes, describes the natural and built features that may be susceptible
to the impact of subsidence and provides an estimate of subsidence parameters.

The surface area above the underground workings is contained within the mine operational area of mining
lease SML20 and presents no risk to private landholders, natural drainage lines, public infrastructure or
dwellings. The only surface features above or near the workings consist of existing mine infrastructure,
dams, internal roads and Veolia’s Bioreactor.

Page 4 of 34
Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

2.0 INTRODUCTION

2.1 BACKGROUND

This Subsidence Impact Assessment has been prepared by Crosscut Consulting for Heron Resources
Limited (Heron) in support of the Extraction Plan required by Condition 4 of Schedule 3 of Project Approval
07_0143MOD 1.

This Subsidence Impact Assessment supports the Woodlawn Mine Extraction Plan. It provides data on the
mine geometry, factors that will influence rock mass behaviour, details of surface features and potential
impacts on these features.

The technical nomenclature used in this report is typical for underground metalliferous mining in Australia.
Where this is different to that used in underground coal mining, the equivalent or closest coal mining
terminology is included in brackets after the term.

The Woodlawn mine was historically mined in two phases: as an open pit mine by CRA from 1978 and then
subsequently as an underground mine by Denehurst Limited from 1987 until the mine closed in 1998. The
open pit was re-purposed by Veolia and the Woodlawn Bioreactor currently manages around 20% of
Sydney’s putrescible waste and taps the landfill gas emissions for power generation.

During the previous period of underground mining a total of 5.8 million tonnes of ore was extracted using
predominantly cut and fill stoping techniques which utilised unconsolidated mullock as backfill. The
underground mine workings were barricaded at the cessation of mining, and the workings gradually filled
with water.

2.2 GEOLOGY

The Woodlawn deposit occurs in Silurian felsic volcanic rocks, volcanogenic sediments and carbonaceous
shales intruded by doleritic sills. It is part of the suite of volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VMS) deposits
formed along the eastern coast of Australia in the Paleozoic (240 - 540 Ma) (Gemmell et al., 1998).

VMS deposits tend to form in back-arc and inter-arc volcanic basins in proximity to rift faults and host rocks
range in composition from rhyolite-andesite to basalt. Rhyolitic rocks are the most common on the footwall,
while sediments and/or mafic volcanic rocks are the most common hanging wall types.

The Woodlawn deposit is hosted by regionally metamorphosed (greenschist facies) fine and coarse grained
felsic volcanic - pyroclastic rocks, volcanogenic sedimentary rocks and carbonaceous shale, informally
known as the Woodlawn Group. In the latter stages of deposition, dolerite sills intruded the rocks now
situated above and below the Woodlawn deposit. Dolerite sills comprise 50% to 60% of hangingwall rock.
Many of the volcanoclastic rocks at Woodlawn are laminated, quartz sericite bearing tuffaceous shale and
chloritic-talc schist. Volcanic units interfinger the shales and exhibit complex and rapid facies changes.
Certain volcanic units have been identified as being associated with ore and most of the lenses are in some
way in contact with these units.

The mine sequence is folded into an overturned, isoclinal syncline. The Woodlawn deposit occurs on the
eastern limb of the syncline. The syncline axis plunges at about 60 degrees to the north-northwest. The

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axial plane dips at about 60 degrees to the west and is paralleled by a strong slatey cleavage or more
intense schistosity throughout the mine sequence.

The mineralisation is strictly within “lens” shaped lodes, sub-parallel to each other, and occurring in a
repetitious geometry. The deposits occur in twelve main lenses (named A to L) and numerous but smaller
sub lenses. These lenses contain economic concentration of lead, zinc, copper gold and silver. Figure 2.1
illustrates the general sectional arrangement of the lenses.

Figure 2.1 – Woodlawn ore lenses (looking north east)

The individual massive sulphide lenses are strongly anisotropic with a short strike length of between 40
and 180m (roughly north-south), thickness of between 2 and 15m (roughly east-west) and a down plunge
extent of 300 to more than 800m.

2.3 EXISTING WOODLAWN UNDERGROUND MINE

The Woodlawn underground mine commenced operation in 1986. The mine was accessed from two portals
located within the open pit and four air shafts develop from the pit and surface. Ore extraction was
predominantly focused on A, B and C lenses as shown in Figure 2.2.

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Figure 2.2 - Original open pit and underground workings

The original decline portals within the pit were sealed by Veolia as part of the Bioreactor development and
the shafts were backfilled as part of the mine closure.

Heron has spent considerable time collating the survey data from hard copy plans and anecdotal evidence
from interviews with previous mine employees to create a detailed mine void model. This model is shown
in Figure 2.2 and has been used for detailed mine design.

Historic underground mining predominantly used cut and fill mining methods with unconsolidated waste
rock used as backfill. While most of the stoped areas were backfilled, there remains some open stopes
and the final lift of cut and fill stopes that were not filled. The volume of unfilled voids remaining in the mine
required to be filled was estimated in the Feasibility Study to be 137,000 cubic metres. Heron plans to
systematically fill these areas once access to each is achieved to enhance local stability.

Part of Heron’s fill plan involves backfilling of the existing voids below the crown pillar that separates the
open pit and the underground workings. Heron has undertaken a program of drilling to test the crown pillar
and surrounding voids. The drilling confirms there has been no propagation of the existing mine voids and
these areas will be prioritised for filling soon after commissioning of the paste fill plant

2.4 PROPOSED EXTRACTION AREA

The proposed extraction area lies largely within the footprint of the original underground mine workings,
extending from approximately 100m below surface to around 600m below surface. As most of the shallower
lenses were extracted in the previous mining operation, the average depth of the proposed stopes is around
450m below surface.

The surface expression of the new workings is approximately 16 ha, as shown on Figure 2.3. This aerial
photograph shows the existing and proposed underground workings superimposed over the topography.
The area immediately above the proposed workings is completely disturbed.

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Figure 2.3 - Surface and expression of underground workings

Figure 2.4 – Section of mine workings looking 30° from north

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2.5 MINE PLAN

Key features of the underground mine are:

 A new mine decline from a box cut adjacent to the Bioreactor;

 Rehabilitation of existing workings involving installation of additional new ground support and to
meet current geotechnical design standards;
 Development of new vertical and horizontal drives to access the ore lenses;
 Longhole stoping to extract ore; and
 Backfilling of stope voids with paste fill.
The vertical extent of existing and proposed stopes is shown in Figure 2.4. The north west dip of the
orebodies results in increasing depth of the lenses beneath Evaporation Dam #1 (ED1). While there are
some proposed stopes around 100m below the south east shore of ED1, beneath the floor of ED1 the
proposed stopes are generally greater than 250m.

Figure 2.5 – Location of planned workings

2.6 EXISTING MINE WORKINGS

The existing workings for the Woodlawn mine primarily access A, B and C Lenses. The original mine was
accessed by two declines from within the open cut with several shafts from within and external to the open
pit. The decline portals have been plugged and all the shafts backfilled. Heron plans to develop a new
decline system from surface to provide primary access into the mine. The new mine design, where
practical, also aims to rehabilitate the existing mine workings to access the remaining Woodlawn orebodies.

The significant interactions between the old workings and the new mine development are:

 Dewatering of the old workings which will significantly improve stability of the open pit walls but
may have a far field subsidence effect (discussed in Section 3.0);

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 Rehabilitation of old mine declines, access drives and vertical development, which will generally
improve the integrity of these areas to provide safe access for men and machinery; and
 Backfilling of any significant existing voids encountered. This will significantly improve local ground
stability and will assist to prevent the collapse of any unfilled areas of the historic workings. This
action will reduce the potential for localised subsidence effects associated with the historic
workings.

Figure 2.5 shows the relative disposition of the planned mine workings compared to the existing
development and stopes. The general focus of the mining operation is in the west and deeper areas where
there will be less interaction with the historic mine workings. Planned stoping around the historic workings
will provide around 25% of the underground production plan.

2.7 EXLUSION ZONE

The cooperation agreement with Veolia provides and exclusion zone of 200m from the surveyed limits of
the open pit void. This limits the mining activity in this area to mine access, the rehabilitation of existing
declines and drives and the backfilling of any significant voids that remain from the previous mining
operation.

2.8 BOX CUT AND PORTAL

The location of the boxcut and portal are shown on Figure 2.3. This area was used by Veolia to
progressively recover and use a dolerite stockpile for general construction activities within its operations.

Figure 2.3 also shows a plan view of the surface extent of the existing and planned future workings. This
demonstrates the limited surface expression of the workings and the lack of natural features.

The box cut will be excavated by conventional open pit mining methods to a depth of approximately 35m
below the original surface, removing a volume of approximately 184,000 m3 of material.

The box cut excavation is anticipated to take approximately three months to complete, with blasting to occur
once per day between the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Fridays. Blasting procedures and
protocols are detailed in Herons Blast Management Plan.

2.9 ACCESS DEVELOPMENT

The mine design relies on the development of a new decline system with associated level drives, raises
and shafts to provide access to the ore lenses. Additionally, some of the existing underground mine
workings will also be rehabilitated and re-supported. The planned access development (known as first
workings coal miming nomenclature) comprise the following items:

 Boxcut to provide a stable position to commence decline development;

 New decline and level development;
 New ventilation and escape way raises;
 New bulkheads to isolate the mine and landfill operations;
 Rehabilitated decline and level development; and

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 Rehabilitated ventilation and escape way raises.

2.9.1 Decline and Level Development

New development and the rehabilitation of some of the existing decline will be used to provide access to
stoping areas. The general layout of the new decline and level development is provided in Figure 2.5.

The new decline will initially intersect the existing workings at 2670mRL (approximately 130m below
surface), and additional access points will be developed at depth. The existing decline system will be
refurbished and used to access the other underground workings, including the ore reserves left after the
mine closed in 1998. New decline and level development will be used to access new ore reserves identified
by Heron.

Drive sizes vary depending on operational requirements, and Table 2.1 details typical planned size of
access development.

Table 2.1 - Lateral Development Design Profiles

Description Profile (mH x mW)
Decline Arched 5.5 x 5.5
Level Accesses Arched 5.5 x 5.0
Waste Drives Arched 5.0 x 5.5
Ore Drives Square 4.5 x 4.5
Ore Drive (Kate Lens) Square 5.0 x 5.0
Return Air Access Square 5.0 x 5.0
Egress Access Square 5.0 x 5.0
Stockpiles Square 5.0 x 5.0
Sump Square 4.0 x 4.0
Return Airway Raise (vertical) 3 m diameter
Escapeway raise (sub vertical) 1.5 m diameter
Existing raises (refurbished) 2.4m diameter

2.9.2 Rehabilitation of Declines and Level Development

The mine plan includes the rehabilitation of areas of the existing workings. These workings are typically
between 5 and 6 metres wide and of similar height. Rehabilitation involves the installation of surface
support and rock reinforcement similar to that required for new development. While the present condition
of the old workings is unknown, Heron anticipates that most of the workings will be in reasonable condition
even though they have been abandoned since 1998. It is expected that the ground support will have
corroded and require replacement. Ground support from this period no longer conforms to today’s practices
and regardless of condition will be replaced.

2.9.3 Vertical Development

The vertical development design includes:

 Exhaust ventilation raises to the surface from the lower sections of the declines, the typical size for
the raises is planned to be 3 to 4m in diameter.
 Emergency egress system has also been designed at 1.8m diameter which will also be used as a
fresh air intake.

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2.9.4 Mine Bulkheads

The historic mine development consisted of two access declines from the open pit. The new mine plan
includes the construction of bulkheads designed to permanently separate the bioreactor and the new mining
operation.

A detailed construction methodology is currently being prepared as part of a detailed mine re-entry plan
including the opportunity of remote installation of these bulkheads.

2.9.5 Ground Support Parameters

Geotechnical investigations covering the feasibility study and mine plan were undertaken by Beck
Engineering which was based on both pre-existing mining knowledge and additional drilling data obtained
since the mine closed. This work was expanded and refined by Heron Resources. A specific geotechnical
drilling program was undertaken to determine mining conditions in new resource areas as well as
anticipated decline and access development conditions. Significant historical information is available from
the details records kept by the previous mine operator.

Specific testing was undertaken on each rock mass including Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS),
Geological Strength Index (GSI), Density, Plastic Strain as well as several strength, cohesion and friction
testing to accurately define rock behaviour, necessary support levels and potential overlying strata
deformation characteristics. This data was used both in mine planning and assessment of the potential
blasting impacts and subsidence on the Bioreactor.

In addition to rock mass units, several faults were identified which were also tested along with contact zones
which interact with the planned mine workings. A summary of the results of this work is provided in Table
2.1 - Lateral Development Design Profiles

Table 2.2 - Rock Type Parameters

Domain Code Density UCS (MPa) GSI
(kg/m3
Felsic Volcanics FVOL 2,700 75 55
Dolerite DLRT 2,966 150 70
Massive Sulphide MS 4,000 140 60
Black Shale BSHALE 2,600 30 55
Talc-schist TALCSCH 2,700 30 45
Weathered WEATH 2,500 20 55
Northern Fault Zone NFZ 2,700 75 45
544F Northern Fault 544F 2,700 35 40
Zone
750 Fault Zone 750F 2,700 35 40
790/795 Fault Zone 790F-795F 2,700 35 40
430F South Fault 430F 2,700 35 40
433F E Central Fault 433F 2,700 35 40
580F No Name Fault 580F 2,700 35 40
751F 751F 2,700 35 40
760F 760F 2,700 20 30
Dolerite Contacts DOLCONT 2,700 35 40

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Rock reinforcement and surface support regimes have been designed on the expected rockmass
conditions, and Table 2.3 sets out the expected ground support requirements for various development
types. Once mining commences, these support regimes will be optimised to suit specific situations and
conditions encountered.

Table 2.3 - Development Support Systems

Drive Type Conditions Row Resin Bolts Split Mesh Cable Shotcrete
Spacing 3.0m 2.4m Set Sheets Bolts mm m2/m
(m) 6.0 m
Rehabilitation Typical 1.5 3 4 4 75 14.6
Adverse 1.23 5 6 4 7 75 14.6
Decline Typical 1.23 7 2 75 13.4
Adverse 1.23 3 6 4 6 75 13.4
Stockpiles Typical 1.23 5 4 75 12.8
and airways Adverse 1.23 9 4 6 50 12,8
Sumps Typical 1.23 3 4 75 9.8
Adverse 1.23 5 6 5 50 9.8
Level Typical 1.23 6 4 9
Accesses Adverse 1.23 9 4 6 50 12.4
Ore Drives Typical 1.23 7 6 6
Adverse 1.23 7 6 6 50 11.3
Ore Drives - Typical 1.23 9 4 6
Kate Lens Adverse 1.23 9 6 6 50 12.8
Drift and Fill Typical 0.93 6 7 6 1.25 50 12.8
Development

The systems of support are designed to be serviceable for the life of the underground mine and maintain
safe access into the mine for 5 to 10 years. All ground support systems degrade over time, and Heron
plans to maintain a system to monitor performance and provide replacement ground support when required.

2.9.6 Mine Geometry and Depth

The geometry of the orebodies and subsequent mine workings are most significant in the mitigation of the
potential for surface disturbance. The orebodies are steeply dipping at 60 to 70 degrees from horizontal.
The resource has been partially exploited in the previous mining operation and the new mining areas are
largely within the historic mine footprint, although focussed on the deeper resource. These factors mean
that as the mine is redeveloped the depth of mining operations quickly increases. Figure 2.6 shows the
average depth of mining in each year of operation. In 2018 the average depth of mining activity is 145m
below the surface. In 2019 it is 300m below surface. Generally, the greater the depth of extraction the
lower the potential impact on surface infrastructure.

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Figure 2.6 - Annual depth of mining operations

700

Depth below surface (metres)

600
500
400
300
200
100
-
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

The other important aspect of steeply dipping orebodies is that it limits the overall footprint of potential
surface disturbance as the vertical dimension is more important to resource tonnage.

2.9.7 Geotechnical Characteristics of Country Rock at the Woodlawn Mine

In general, the geotechnical description of the rock mass quality at Woodlawn typically are considered to
range from fair to poor. There is a significant body of experience that was gain in mining at Woodlawn over
a 20-year period from 1978 until 1998 and the stratigraphy and structural geology are well understood.

The country rock is typically felsic volcanics, dolerite and talc chlorite altered zones associated with the
massive sulphide mineralisation. Figure 2.7 illustrates a typical plan view of the site geology, and the
interaction between rock types and significant faults.

Figure 2.7 - Simplified Geology

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Beck Engineering Pty Ltd (Beck) summarised the rockmass conditions in Table 2.4. These are based on
Beck’s evaluation of Heron’s geotechnical logging data, previous logging and geotechnical assessments
and the interpretation of conditions recorded on the mine plans and recounted by former Woodlawn staff.

Table 2.4: Summary of Rockmass Conditions (Beck)

Description
σc Ε
Domain Q’ of rockmass
(MPa) (GPa)
quality
Felsic volcanics in Unfaulted 53 46 6.0 Fair
Kate Lens Faulted 53 46 2.4 Poor
Felsic volcanics Unfaulted 53 46 4.0 Poor to Fair
elsewhere Faulted 53 46 2.0 Poor
150 to
Unfaulted 97 14 Good
Ore 200
Faulted 50 to 100 97 4.5 Fair
Unfaulted 190 75 30 Good
Dolerite Faulted 190 75 2.0 Poor
No geotechnical data is available for the talc-chlorite altered zones.
The following assumptions can be applied:
Talc-chlorite  Reduce σc by 50%.
altered zones
 Reduce Ε by 75%.
 Reduce Q’ by 75%.

The data indicate that the host felsic volcanics is a poor to fair quality rockmass, except in the faults and
where affected by talc-chlorite alteration. This is confirmed by the description of conditions and general
ground support practices from previous Woodlawn staff, which give the overall impression of poor to fair
conditions in the felsic volcanics.

Ground conditions in the faults and the talc-chlorite altered zones are certainly poorer. These conditions
impacted on stope stability and were documented during the previous mining operation. Stope stability
was compounded by the overhand cut and fill mining method utilised and certain operating practices.

The ore itself is a fair to good quality rockmass except in the faults and where affected by talc-chlorite
alteration. The good quality of the ore is evident from the development mapping, which show some wide
back spans (up to 18m) were not affected by faults or alteration.

2.9.8 Geological Structures and Characteristics

The Woodlawn deposit is transected by several major faults. The major faults are often associated with
poor ground conditions, particularly where there is talc-chlorite alteration in A, B, C and J lenses. In these
locations the footwall is most intensely altered.

The talc chlorite alteration associated with the major faulting was historically the most problematic ground
to deal with. It is important to note that the historic underground mine predated the rigorous geotechnical
systems, sophisticated ground support consumables and modern stoping techniques that Heron plan to
implement. Falls of ground resulted in the abandonment of mining in a number of areas.

Figure 2.8 and Figure 2.9 illustrate some of the major faults that were encountered in the previous mining
operation and exploration drilling.

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Figure 2.8 - Perspective view showing northern fault zone

Figure 2.9 - Perspective view showing southern fault zone

The northern fault zone contains several structures, which are shown in Figure 2.8. Although this fault zone
is certainly significant geologically, the available records indicate that conditions within the fault zone are
not particularly adverse, except where associated with talc-chlorite alteration.

Figure 2.9 shows the general location of the 760 Fault. This fault, together with the 580 No-name Fault are
responsible for the slip on the southern pit slope. The 760 Fault is discrete as mapped within the pit.

These represent the most significant faults, although others may be encountered within the new mine
development.

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2.10 EXTRACTION METHODS

In hard rock mining, the extraction of ore is described as stoping, and the place this occurs is known as a
stope. This is equivalent to the “second workings” in longwall coal mining nomenclature.

Typically, the lenses are steeply dipping, and primary access consists of decline ramps from which lateral
drives are developed into the ore lenses. Once access development is completed the ore is mined,
primarily using longhole stoping techniques.

Longhole stoping involves the drilling of a series of holes up to 25 metres in length in a ring pattern. These
holes are then fired with explosives to break the ore. Remotely controlled loaders then remove the broken
ore, which is loaded into 50 tonne capacity trucks and hauled to surface.

The planned extraction is intended to be mined “underhand”. This means that the stopes are mined below
previously mined stopes that have been backfilled with an engineered material consisting of the tailings
from ore processing combined with cement and fly ash (or a similar pozzolanic material). A generalised
stope cross section is provided in Figure 2.10.

Figure 2.10 - Underhand Open Stoping Mining Method

The use of the tailings stream requires dewatering of the tailings to produce a “paste”. The binder is then
added to the paste in sufficient quantity to achieve the required strength and cohesion parameters. The
engineered nature of paste fill makes the stoping operations more reliable and systematic, with the size of
open voids controlled to ensure stability and safety.

The use of cemented paste fill offers many of advantages in the extraction sequence:

 Maximises the volume of ore extracted as stopes are always buttressed by cemented paste fill;

 Allows an optimal approach to managing induced stress around mined areas;

 Provides a homogeneous stope back (roof) that behaves more predictably as the ore is excavated;

 allows the size of open voids to be managed and optimised; and

 all stopes are completely backfilled prior to mine closure, which in turn limits the magnitude of
ground movement adjacent to the stope.

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Stopes will be typically 20m high, between 10 and 20m along strike and the width of the orebody (4 to +/-
20m).

The production cycle for a typical stope is typically:

 Mine ore drives at regular level spacing (20m).

 Mine top level stopes on retreat sequence (toward access) placing paste fill in each stope.
 Mine stopes in level below when paste has had adequate curing time.
 Continue sequence for each level below.
The implementation of this system may allow mining simultaneously over several levels with stopes
sequenced in-echelon.

2.10.1 Stope Design

The stope design process uses rock quality data and geological mapping to predict the rock strength and
structural influences for every stope design. The underlying premise in the process is to maintain the stope
in a stable condition over the active life of the stope. This allows the safe and efficient extraction of ore and
reduces the impact of dilution which can impact on the profitability of mining and processing ore from a
given stope. The modelling of these key parameters allows the calculation of a hydraulic radius for each
surface (hangingwall, footwall and backs) of a stope with a probabilistic approach to managing the stability
of the stope. Table 2.5 summarises the hydraulic radius used for stope design in the Woodlawn Feasibility
Study. These parameters are likely to be conservative and will be optimised with the experience gained in
every new stope and the conditions encountered.

Table 2.5 – Feasibility study stope design parameters

Area Design Indicative ELOS

rH HW FW

A, B, C and J lenses Talc-chlorite altered zones ~3.0m 1.0m 0.5m

(indicated resources) Faulted zones ~3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
Other remnants (except faults ~3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
& altered zones)
Extensions (except faults & ~5.0m 0.5m 0.25m
altered zones)
D Lens (indicated resources) 6.0m 0.5m 0.25m
Upper E Lens <15m from 790 and 795 faults 3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
(indicated resources) >15m from 790 and 795 faults 6.0m 0.5m 0.25m
G Lens (indicated resources) 3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
H Lens (indicated resources) 3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
Kate Lens <15m from 790 and 795 faults 3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
(indicated resources) >15m from 790 and 795 faults 6.0m 0.5m 0.25m
Inferred resources <15m from major faults ~3.5m 1.0m 0.5m
in D & I lenses >15m from major faults ~5.0m 0.5m 0.25m

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3.0 SUBSIDENCE
Subsidence refers to the movement of the surface at any one point and can be described as vertical
displacement, tilt, tensile and compressive strain and curvature. Vertical movement is generally expressed
in units of millimetres. Tilt is the change in the slope of the ground as a result of differential subsidence
and is calculated as the change in subsidence between two points divided by the distance between these
points. Tilt is usually expressed as millimetres per metre.

Curvature is the change in tilt between two adjacent sections of the tilt profile and provides the rate of
change in tilt. It is expressed as the inverse of the radius of curvature in kilometres. Strain is the relative
differential horizontal movements of the ground and is calculated by the horizontal distance between them.
Strain can be expressed as compressive which is where the distance between the points decreases or
tensile strain where the distance between the two points increases. Strain is usually described as
millimetres per metre.

These parameters have been developed largely to describe underground longwall mining and the norm is
to develop models which show incremental changes over multiple longwall panels. The Woodlawn mine
design does not lend itself to this form of subsidence calculations. This is because the surface extent of
the proposed new workings are relatively small individual excavations, and the workings deeper compared
to longwall mining.

Another differentiating factor at Woodlawn is that surface deformation does not occur due to the strata
caving as is the case with longwall coal mining. The stopes dimensions are maintained to ensure short
term stability and once ore has been extracted the stope is completely backfilled which provides permanent
stability. While deformation of the rockmass around the stoped areas will occur, the deformation is
constrained by the compressibility of the backfill.

It is expected that due to the geometry and the mining methods planned to be employed at Woodlawn, the
deformations associated with ore extraction will be relatively minor. Subsidence effects are more likely to
be a result of the far field effects of mine dewatering.

The dewatering of the historic mine workings is necessary to access the orebodies. As the workings are
progressively dewatered, the surrounding water table will be drawn down in a cone of depression that will
progressively increase in area as the mine is dewatered. The cone of groundwater depression may extend
outside the plan footprint of the mine workings.

The extraction of groundwater can result in the compaction of the aquifers within the area of influence
around the mining operation, which may be outside the plan surface footprint of the mine workings. These
are referred to far field subsidence effects.

3.1 SUBSIDENCE AREA DEFINITION

The underground mining area is shown on Figure 2.3. The area of influence of potential subsidence
includes the Bioreactor and extends west to include the areas covered by ED3 and ED1. All land above
the existing and proposed underground mine workings are fully contained within the mine site and the
Veolia Bioreactor facility.

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Figure 3.1 illustrates the entire mine site, with the proposed plant site and TSF 4 shown in the foreground,
and older TSF, evaporation ponds and bioreactor clearly identified.

Figure 3.1 – Site Layout look to the south southwest

3.2 SUBSIDENCE PREDICTIONS

Subsidence predictions were made for the area covering the open pit and the evaporation ponds by Beck
Engineering for the Woodlawn underground feasibility study (Beck Engineering, 2017).

The forecast displacements magnitudes, denoted by Umax in Figure 3.2, were estimated to be up to a
maximum of 130mm directly above the underground workings. The estimated displacement over greater
area of ED1 was no more than 50mm. This forecast deformation field is a mostly far-field response to
dewatering associated with underground mining, with less effect due to the planned mining excavations
themselves. The forecast displacements were conservatively high and in practice lower displacement
magnitudes would be expected.

It is anticipated that actual subsidence levels caused by extraction of ore would be less than effectively
measurable. This is largely a result of natural variations caused by daily and seasonal temperature
variations and mine dewatering.

It is essential to recognise that ED1 has already experienced minor deformation associated with previous
underground mining and that future underground mining will induce similar levels of deformation. It is
therefore expected that the surface impacts of future underground mining will be similar to the effects of
previous underground mining which are also comparable to natural variations.

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February 2018

Figure 3.2 - Deformation Modelling

Figure 3.3 shows modelled plastic strain associated with future underground mining. This shows small
localised additional strains of ~0.25% near ED1. This strain is associated with modelled lithology contact.

For the open pit the results also show that the risks are low. At the end of underground mining (in 2024),
forecast stoping induced displacement magnitudes in the pit slopes are less than about 100mm, even for
the weak case. The forecast deformation is a mainly elastic response to underground mining, dewatering
and filling the Bioreactor, with a dominant vertical downwards component. In terms of slope stability,
100mm of movement over a slope of this size is not considered to be critical or problematic.

It was concluded that the mining plan, with control measures in place, is sound as far as management of
induced deformation of the pit is concerned. The induced deformation is unlikely to lead to slope instability
at any relevant scale and the proposed control measures would be effective in ensuring unexpected
adverse outcomes are identified before they grow to unacceptable levels.

Additionally, the stability of the open pit slopes will significantly benefit from the dewatering of the
underground mine.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 3.3 – Plan of forecast incremental damage associated with future underground mining

3.3 MECHANICS OF POTENTIAL SUBSIDENCE

There are three potential mechanisms for potential subsidence for the proposed Woodlawn underground
mining operation, relating to mine dewatering, subsidence resulting from ore extraction and localized
subsidence resulting from stope collapse combined with a “chimney” failure.

3.3.1 Mine Dewatering

Establishment of the underground mining operation requires the dewatering of the historic mine workings.
Heron has estimated that approximately 1.4 million cubic metres will be pumped from the mine during the
dewatering of the historic workings. Historically, the underground mine was described as dry, and
groundwater inflows are expected to be less the 345 cubic metres per day.

The subsidence prediction completed by Beck suggested that the far field effects of mine dewatering may
have the greatest effect on subsidence in the area adjacent the proposed underground workings.

3.3.2 Subsidence relating to ore extraction

As discussed previously, the subsidence predicted from the extraction of ore at the Woodlawn mine is
mitigated by the backfilling of stope voids with paste fill. This will have the effect of confining, but not
eliminating deformation and the potential for subsidence at surface.

It is important to note that no significant subsidence effects were documented during or since the extraction
that occurred throughout historic mining operations, despite the existence of stope voids that were not
backfilled prior to the closure of the mine.

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

3.3.3 Chimney Failure

The third mechanism for potential subsidence is localised in the area of impact and has not been modelled.
A chimney failure can only occur during the catastrophic failure of the rockmass above a stope void and
requires the presence of a geological structure combined with a weak rockmass to propagate. Under the
right conditions the chimney can continue to propagate until the original void has been filled by the
collapsing material.

While the conditions for a chimney failure are known to exist in some areas with many pervasive faults and
the presence of talc-chlorite rocks documented in drilling data and geological mapping of development
drives in the historic operation. This type of localised failure did occur during the historic operation but did
not propagated to the surface.

The stope design process that Heron plans to implement will include geological mapping of the rockmass
and detailed analysis to provide the critical stope design parameters. Also, the systematic use of paste fill
is a significant mitigating element in the proposed stoping methods.

4.0 IDENTIFICATION OF SURFACE FEATURES

The underground extraction will extend sub vertically to a depth of approximately 700 m below the level of
the natural surface. The mine plan does not extend beyond the site boundaries and is completely within
the boundaries of SML20. The surface area beneath which underground mining activity occurs covers a
total of 25 hectares and is shown in Figure 2.3. This section describes the existing site features for the
purposes of impact assessment

4.1 SURFACE FEATURES POTENTIALLY IMPACTED

4.1.1 Natural Features

There are no natural features remaining above the mine area. All areas are disturbed by a long history of
mining related activities and the subsequent operation of Veolia’s bioreactor.

4.1.2 Built Features

Built features above the mine workings were originally constructed as part of the mining operation although
some are now utilised by Veolia as part of the Bioreactor. An inventory of items located above the mine
workings are listed below and shown on Figure 3.1.

 The original open cut void now used as a landfill and Bioreactor.
 Evaporation Dam 1.
 Evaporation Dam 3.
 Access roads between the Bioreactor and evaporation dams.

The existing and future underground workings do not extend beyond the current disturbed site and
infrastructure. No privately-owned property will be impacted by existing or proposed workings (other than
owned by Heron and Veolia).

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Evaporation Dams

As a non-discharge site, evaporation dams were constructed at Woodlawn to manage the volumes of water
used underground and in processing the ore in addition as a buffer to rainfall events. Three dams remain
on site, covering an area of approximately 100ha.

Figure 4.1 - Evaporation Dam 1

The volume of water stored in the evaporation dams fluctuate according to rainfall but as they have been
designed to store excess water from the mining operation which has not occurred since 1998, the dams’
water levels have remained relatively low. ED3 forms part of the water management system for the
Bioreactor facility and is not used by Heron. The remaining two evaporation dams, ED1 and ED2, will be
used for the ongoing mining operation.

ED1 was constructed in 1987 to increase the Woodlawn Mine’s capacity to manage the site water balance
and as necessary evaporate excess water. It was used for that purpose until the mine ceased operations
and capping of the spoil piles was completed in the late 1990s. ED1 has a capacity of approximately 1,347
megalitres (ML).

ED2 was constructed in mid-1989 to increase the mine’s capacity to evaporate site water runoff. It was
used for that purpose until the mine ceased operations and capping of the waste emplacements was
completed in the late 1990s. ED2 has a capacity of approximately 846 ML.

ED1 and ED2 are Prescribed Dams under the Dams Safety Act. Both dams have been the subject of
formal surveillance reporting since 1997 with the most recent report being completed in June 2015.

Notification Plans showing mining of the tailings dams and underground mining areas were lodged with the
Dam Safety Committee (DSC) in April 2017 following the DSC endorsement of both the underground mining
and hydraulic mining at Woodlawn on 5 April 2017. Liaison with the DSC will continue as required during
the mining operations.

The management of these dams will require the systematic surveying and monitoring for any subsidence
effects, particularly the northern embankment of ED1. Heron will establish suitable monitoring regimes and
will seek expert advice from an independent dam engineer.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Old Pit Void (Bioreactor)

A large void with a volume of 25 million cubic meters was formed during open cut mining operations
between 1978 and 1987. This void is now operated by Veolia as a bioreactor and accepts around 20% of
the putrescible waste generated in Sydney, as shown in Figure 4.2. The gas harvested in is operation
generates up to 7MW of electrical power.

The original underground workings were accessed from the open pit and lie beneath the west wall. Prior
to the commencement of Veolia’s operations, the decline portals were backfilled, and concrete bulkheads
were constructed inside each decline. These portals have since been covered beneath the surface of the
bioreactor.

Figure 4.2 - Open Cut Mine Void Operated by Veolia as a Bioreactor (looking south)

Systematic measurements of blast vibration and surveying of pit slopes will be undertaken by Heron to
monitor the effects of the proposed underground mining operation. These responsibilities are set out in the
Cooperation Deed between Veolia and Heron, and other documentation.

4.2 SURFACE FEATURES NOT IMPACTED

The key issues in relation to the proposed mining operation will be to ensure the integrity of the Bioreactor
and dam structures on site. To achieve this, the extraction method will incorporate cemented paste backfill
of existing and new voids rather than the previous method of using loose fill.

The existing and future underground workings do not underlie any land outside the existing disturbed
footprint of the mine site. There are no aspects of the biophysical environment remaining above the mine
workings and no public infrastructure or cultural heritage items will be impacted.

4.2.1 Surrounding Features

The Woodlawn site previously operated as the Woodlawn Mine, producing copper, lead and zinc
concentrate for twenty years. Most of the site currently remains in a disturbed condition because of the
previous mining activities. The site consists of the main elements described in the following sections.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 4.3 – Aerial photo of total site

4.2.2 Tailings Dams

Tailings are the finely ground and saturated waste material created from the processing of the ore. The
mine site contains three tailings dams (North, South and West), with a combined total of 11.65 Mt of tailings,
covering an area of over 110 hectares (ha) (92 ha of tailings surface area) as shown in Figure 4.3.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 4.4 - Tailings Dam South

Woodlawn tailings are reactive and oxidised producing an acid environment. In an acid environment, the
high metal content of the tailings is released resulting in a hostile environment for plant growth. Although
the tailings remain fully contained within purpose-built impoundments designed for long term storage,
oxidation reactions will continue while the tailings surface is exposed to the atmosphere. Therefore, a
simple surface treatment such as undertaken on the Hickory’s Paddock or the main Waste Rock Dump will
be unlikely to provide a long-term rehabilitation solution without isolation of the surface growing medium
from the underlying tailings or sulphide ore.

The original tailings impoundment, Tailings Dam North (TDN) was constructed in 1979. The early presence
of water over the tailings resulted in the formation of steep slopes below water level preventing tailings from
spreading to the centre of the dam, thus limiting the expected in situ bulk density. As a result, earth fill
embankments within the basin were constructed.

Tailings Dam South (TDS), shown on Figure 4.4 above, was commissioned in August 1980 initially as a
water storage pond, with a capacity of 2.39 Million m3 providing for over 4 years of additional tailings
capacity. There were two additional lifts added in 1985 and 1988 to increase the storage capacity.

Tailings Dam West (TDW), shown on Figure 4.5, was constructed in a single stage in 1990 after
underground operations began. The dam contains an upstream impermeable plastic membrane.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 4.5 - West Tailings Dam

All three tailings dams remain un-rehabilitated and will be subject to retreatment as part of the Heron
Project. The existing and future underground workings do not lie beneath these structures.

4.2.3 Original Plant Area/Loadout Facility

This area lies within Veolia’s Area of Operations and is not part of Heron’s project or operating area. The
area previously contained all the grinding and processing plant areas, workshops and the concentrate
loadout facilities for the previous mining operation and covers an area of approximately 30ha. All the plant
and equipment contained in this area were sold at auction in October 1998 and have now been removed
from the site. The existing and future underground workings do not lie beneath this area.

4.2.4 Hickory’s Paddock

Hickory’s Paddock is located east of the plant area and covers an area of approximately 30ha. Historically,
the paddock has exhibited various degrees of soil degradation and scalding as a result of the previous
mining and processing operations as well as general ore body effects from the original surface outcrop.
Denehurst, while still operating the mine, carried out bio solids application on the Hickory’s Paddock with
some success. However, the paddock will now be redeveloped to house the new infrastructure and
separate access road to the site. No further rehabilitation works are proposed until all mining has ceased
and the new infrastructure developed by Heron has been removed.

The Hickory’s Paddock site will be used for the new processing facility and is not located in an area of
existing or propose future underground mining.

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 4.6 - Hickory’s Paddock

4.2.5 Rehabilitated Waste Rock Emplacement

The waste rock emplacement covers an area of approximately 92ha and contains 70Mt of waste rock
material extracted from the open cut. The dump has been fully rehabilitated using a compacted clay seal
to eliminate water infiltration and then revegetated. Bio solids were successfully applied to the rehabilitated
waste rock emplacement in 1998 as part of the rehabilitation program which was successful.

Acid water management continues and is the responsibility of Heron as well as ongoing vegetation
management of the emplacement. At present, acid water is pumped from a collection dam (the
Rehabilitated Waste Rock Dam; Figure 4.7) into ED 1 on an as required basis. A permanent self-sustaining
acid water collection and disposal system will be developed by Heron.

The vegetation cover over the Rehabilitated Waste Rock Dump has survived severe drought conditions in
the recent past and on this basis should respond well with minor fertiliser treatment and improved rainfall.
Monitoring and assessment of the vegetation is planned as part of the ongoing rehabilitation monitoring
program.

A small portion of the northern side of the Rehabilitated Waste Rock Emplacement lies above the proposed
new decline. No ore extraction or stoping will occur in this area and the main decline has been designed
to be permanently stable.

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Heron Resource Limited
Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Figure 4.7 - Runoff Dam at Base of Rehabilitated Waste Rock Dump

During 2007 and 2008, trials into slope stabilisation were carried out and investigations into suitable
practices were explored with a combination of practices adopted. Soil Co Pty Ltd was commissioned to
spread a compost material that is beneficial to erosion management and organics to small areas of
identified erosion.

Along with a pasture mix, lime was added to neutralise pH. A compost/seed mix, which incorporated a
tackifier to lock the compost particles and provide a growing medium for the seed, was spread on the
steeper slopes of the waste rock dump. The stabilisation of the susceptible areas has shown that the
erosion control measures are beneficial to this area.

4.2.6 Other Disturbed Areas

Other disturbed areas within Heron’s area of control include the previous tailings re-treatment area,
stockpiles, drainage lines and borrow pits. Some of this material will be used for fill and general construction
purposes during the establishment of the new processing plant as well as within the rehabilitation program
for the tailings dams once completed. Any remaining material will be shaped and rehabilitated in situ.
Borrow areas will be kept to a minimum, with most of clay being sourced from the plant and tails dam area
footprint.

It is the intention to use bio solids or compost produced by Veolia as a surface treatment for other nominated
disturbed areas around the mine site. There is however the potential to use other organic materials for
subsurface treatments to reduce acid generation based on the outcome of the trials. These areas will
include the Evaporation Dams, the remaining section of the Hickory’s Paddock and Waste Rock
Emplacement.

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

4.3 PREDICTION METHODS

Deformation effects were evaluated using a mine-scale 3D finite element model that included all existing
and planned underground excavations, the open pit and the complete geological and structural models that
were available at the time of the modelling (January 2016). Beck Engineering applied a strain-softening
dilatant material model for the rockmass and structures and hydromechanical coupling to capture pore
water pressure effects. The model constitutive assumptions govern how stress, strain and pore water
pressure interactions evolve over time in the simulation.

The finite element model was solved by the commercially available Abaqus Explicit solver software. The
solution to the governing numerical equations provided an estimate of the magnitude of stress, strain and
pore water pressure.

To bracket expected outcomes for risk assessment purposes, an average set and a weak set of material
properties were used. The weak case permits appreciation of outcomes with a lower probability, so that
the effectiveness of our control measures can be evaluated, and guides the trigger and response plan,
while the average case can be used for base-case planning.

4.4 SUBSIDENCE IMPACTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

The area of influence of the predicted subsidence is within the footprint of the existing mine. The magnitude
of subsidence is predicted to be like that experience in the previous underground mining operation. The
predicted subsidence is not anticipated to have any significant impact on surface infrastructure, which is
supported by the history of mining at the site. The predictions are conservative and relate to minor modelled
movement resulting largely from groundwater dewatering. The proposed mining methods are design for
geotechnical stability and all extraction voids will backfilled with paste to provide permanent stability.

The environmental consequences associated with the mine are expected to be consistent with those
presented in the Environmental Assessment. Therefore, a detailed review of environmental consequences
has not been conducted for this Extraction Plan.

4.5 SUBSIDENCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Heron plans to adopt the observational approach to the design and operation of the Woodlawn underground
mine. This is a key control measure for managing the impacts of underground mining. The observational
method for geotechnical risk management involves progressing from a conservative starting position, under
the control of measurements and observations designed to test and refine the design assumptions and
further characterise the risk. If a forecast tolerance is exceeded, an unexpected event occurs, or an
unexpected geotechnical feature is encountered, then the plan is modified, according to the actual
conditions, to maintain an acceptable risk profile. This approach is firmly embedded and widely accepted
in worldwide geotechnical practice.

To manage the risk associated with stope collapse and chimneying of the failure:

 Heron plans to use underhand stoping with cemented paste fill for most of the future stopes. This
method reduces the potential for stope collapse and chimneying because stoping proceeds below
an engineered material (paste fill).

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

 Design of stopes to dimensions that are likely to remain stable. Stopes would be designed
according to the actual ground conditions and site-specific experience accumulated to that date.
 Contingency plans to rapidly fill any stope that does exhibit geotechnical instability.

A further measure of protection is provided by Heron’s monitoring program, which will comprise:

 Continuing inspections of surface infrastructure and routine surveillance inspections. These would
cover the same points as the surveillance report required by the NSW Dam Safety Committee and
would reduce the surveillance interval to 15 months.
 Additional monthly inspections when the water level of ED1 is within 0.3m of the minimum
freeboard.
 Periodic surveys to measure deformation of the ED1 embankment.
 Blast vibration monitoring at the ED1 embankment.
 Monitoring of stopes to identify geotechnical instability if it does occur. This monitoring would
include visual assessments of underground operators, supervisors and technical staff, and remote
void surveys using laser scanners. These are routine activities in underground mines.
 Continue pit slope monitoring, including periodic visual inspections, prism surveys and water
pressure measurements.
 Undertake periodic reviews of pit performance by suitably experienced engineers with a good
understanding of potential interactions between pits and underground mines.

5.0 SUMMARY ASSESSMENT

The underground mine plan does not extend outside land owned by the operation. The proposed
underground mining method has incorporated additional subsidence controls and protection methods that
will reinforce the existing mine accesses and increase the stability of the mine workings.

The mine plan also includes an exclusion zone around the existing open cut to further mitigate against any
potential connectivity that could result in increased water, leachate or gas flows into the underground mine
or other impacts to the surface infrastructure as a result of underground mining. Heron will be undertaking
some works within the exclusion zone with the agreement of Veolia. These works will be designed to
improve long term stability. The existing mine void liner coupled with additional bulkhead construction will
provide a robust barrier against future leakage.

Ongoing investigations and monitoring will be undertaken throughout the life of the mine, to assess and
mitigate against potential underground mining impacts as necessary. As described in this Extraction Plan,
the use of tight fill in underground extraction areas will remove the potential for surface subsidence to occur.

5.1 Key Environmental Aspects - Impact Minimisation and Management

A summary of the subsidence management controls and implications is provided in Table 5.1.

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

Table 5.1: Subsidence Impacts and Minimisation Summary

Aspect Impact Minimisation and Management
There are no cliffs or natural topographic
Cliffs and Natural topographic features
features within the underground mine plan
No natural steep slopes occur within the
Natural steep slopes
mining area
No natural swamps or other natural water
Swamps and natural water bodies
bodies exist within the mine plan
No natural creeks or waterways exist above
Natural creeks and waterways
the proposed underground workings
Permanent flowing creeks No mining occurs beneath Crisps Creek
No mining occurs beneath any natural
Ecological sensitive areas
vegetation community
No mining occurs beneath or near any
Aboriginal Places and Sites
known Aboriginal Places or sites
Mine plan does not extend beneath
Public Roads and Infrastructure
Collector Road
Mine plan does not extend beneath privately
Private property and residences
owned land or residential dwellings
Mine plan does not extend beneath any
Infigen owned wind turbines
infrastructure owned or operated by Infigen
Subsidence protection measures will be
Bioreactor facility employed to avoid impacts on the
Bioreactor
Identification and sealing of leakage points.
Leachate inflow to mine workings Groundwater monitoring to include leachate
detection
Subsidence predictions indicate that no
Evaporation Dams
measurable surface movement will occur
Subsidence predictions indicate that no
Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant
measurable surface movement will occur
Subsidence predictions indicate that no
Internal roads and hardstand
measurable surface movement will occur

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Woodlawn Mine
Subsidence Assessment
February 2018

5.2 Environmental Monitoring

Heron Resources has developed an environmental monitoring program covering both the construction and
operational phases. The monitoring program covers air quality, surface water, groundwater and
subsidence. Monitoring activities relevant to underground mining and subsidence will include:

 Survey control GPS monitoring stations located at each evaporation dam wall. Data collected
quarterly commencing one month before stope development.
 Survey control GPS monitoring stations located within the Bioreactor in consultation with Veolia.
Data collected quarterly commencing one month before stope development.
 Groundwater monitoring around each evaporation dam with samples collected quarterly. Samples
analysed for leachate indicators including Ammonia and Total Organic Carbon.
 Monitoring of water inflows into the mine workings to determine source.
Environmental inspections of the surface features above the underground mining area will occur monthly.
The inspections will report on any detected ground movement, deformation or surface cracking. Any
indicators of surface movement will be investigated. Normal reporting requirements for underground mining
activities will occur. These will include:

 Records of extraction tonnage;

 Monthly survey of development and stopes;
 Records of paste fill activities, areas and volumes;
 Records of all unplanned movements including rock mass, footwall and hanging wall stability;
 Records of roadway stability including bolting and meshing activities.
All surface and underground inspections will be recorded and remedial action with responsibilities and
timeframes noted.

6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Evaluation of Potential Mining Impacts on Evaporation Dam 1 at Woodlawn, Beck Engineering Pty Ltd, 23
January 2017;

Feasibility Study (Technical Report (NI43-101) Feasibility Study for the Woodlawn Project, New South
Wales, Australia. SRK Consulting (Australasia) Pty Ltd, 19 July 2016;

Environmental Assessment dated April 2012 and associated documentation prepared to support the
application for Project approval;

Project Approval 07_0143 (granted under Section 75J Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979, 4
July 2013);

Modification to Project Approval (07_0143MOD1, 22 April 2016);

Mining Operations Plan (August 2015);

Veolia Cooperation Agreement (29 March 2017);

EPL 20821 (29 March 2017);

Heron’s Safety Management Plan (SMP).

Page 34 of 34
Appendix C – Consolidated Project Approval
   

Project Approval
Section 75J of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979

As delegate for the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, I approve the project application referred to in
Schedule 1, subject to the Conditions in Schedules 2 to 6.

These conditions are required to:

 prevent, minimise, and/or offset adverse environmental impacts;
 set standards and performance measures for acceptable environmental performance;
 require regular monitoring and reporting; and
 provide for the ongoing environmental management of the project.

Chris Wilson
Executive Director
Development Assessment Systems and Approvals

Sydney 2013

SCHEDULE 1

Application Number: 07_0143

Proponent: TriAusMin Limited

Approval Authority: Minister for Planning and Infrastructure

Land: See Appendix 1

Project: Woodlawn Mine Project

Blue type represents the April 2016 modification

Green type represents the July 2017 modification

NSW Government
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEFINITIONS 3

ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONS 4

Terms of Approval 5
Limits on Approval 5
Structural Adequacy 5
Demolition 6
Protection of Public Infrastructure 6
Operation of Plant and Equipment 6
Staged Submission of Any Strategy, Plan or Program 6
Developer Contributions 6

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS 7

Tailings Dams 7
Underground Mining 7
Rehabilitation Objectives 8

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS 9

Water Resources 9
Noise 10
Blasting 11
Air Quality 12
Land Management 13
Transport 14
Heritage 15
Visual 15
Waste 15
Bushfire Management 15

ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES 16

Notification of Landowners 16
Independent Review 16

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, REPORTING AND AUDITING 17

Environmental Management 17
Reporting 18
Independent Environmental Audit 19
Access to Information 19

APPENDIX 1: SCHEDULE OF LAND 20

APPENDIX 2: PROJECT LAYOUT 21

APPENDIX 3: REVEGETATION AREAS 23

APPENDIX 4: REHABILITATION PLAN 24

APPENDIX 5: NOISE COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT 25

NSW Government 2
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 DEFINITIONS

AWT Alternative Waste Technology

Annual Review The review required by Condition 4 of Schedule 6
Approval This project approval
ARI Annual Recurrence Interval
BCA Building Code of Australia
CCC Community Consultative Committee
Conditions of this approval Conditions contained in Schedules 2 to 6 inclusive
Construction The demolition of buildings or works, carrying out of works and erection of buildings
covered by this approval
Council Goulburn Mulwaree Council
Day The period from 7am to 6pm on Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 6pm on Sundays
and Public Holidays
Department Department of Planning and Environment
DPI – Water Division of Water within the Department of Primary Industries
DRG Division of Resources and Geoscience within the Department of Planning and
Environment
DSC Dam Safety Committee
EA Environmental Assessment titled ‘Environmental Assessment: TriAusMin Woodlawn
Project’ dated April 2012 and associated response to submissions titled ‘Submissions
Report: TriAusMin Woodlawn Project’, dated September 2012, as amended by:
 modification application and supporting Environmental Assessment titled
‘Woodlawn Mine Environmental Assessment: Proposed Modification to Project
Approval 07_0143 for the Relocation of the Underground Mine Entry’ dated
January 2016 and associated response to submissions titled ‘Woodlawn Mine
Project Application 07_0143 MOD1 Response to Submissions’, dated March
2016; and
 modification application and supporting Environmental Assessment titled
‘Application to Amend PA 07_0143MOD1 - Woodlawn Mine’ dated 9 June 2017
EP&A Act Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
EP&A Regulation Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000
EPA Environment Protection Authority
EPL Environment Protection Licence issued under the POEO Act
Evening The period from 6pm to 10pm
Feasible Feasible relates to engineering considerations and what is practical to build or to
implement
Incident A set of circumstances that:
 causes or threatens to cause material harm to the environment; and/or
 breaches or exceeds the limits or performance measures/criteria in this approval
Land As defined in the EP&A Act, except for where the term is used in the noise and air
quality conditions in Schedules 5 and 6 of this approval where it is defined to mean
the whole of a lot, or contiguous lots, owned by the same landowner, in a current plan
registered at the Land Titles Office at the date of this approval
Material harm to the Actual or potential harm to the health or safety of human beings or to ecosystems that
environment is not trivial
Mining operations Includes the removal of waste rock and the extraction, processing, handling storage
and transportation of ore material from the WRP and WUP
Minister Minister for Planning, or delegate
Minor Small in quantity, size and degree given the relative context
Mitigation Activities associated with reducing the impacts of the project prior to or during those
impacts occurring
Night The period from 10pm to 7am on Monday to Saturday, and 10pm to 8am on Sundays
and Public Holidays
OEH Office of Environment and Heritage
POEO Act Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
Privately-owned land Land that is not owned by a public agency or a mining company (or its subsidiary)
Project The project described in the EA
Proponent TriAusMin Limited, or any other person or persons who rely on this approval to carry
out the development that is subject to this approval
Reasonable Reasonable relates to the application of judgement in arriving at a decision, taking into
account: mitigation benefits, cost of mitigation versus benefits provided, community
views and the nature and extent of potential improvements
Rehabilitation The treatment or management of land disturbed by the project for the purpose of
establishing a safe, stable and non-polluting environment
RMP Rehabilitation Management Plan
RMS Roads and Maritime Services
Secretary The Secretary of the Department, or nominee and/or delegate
Site The land within the project boundary defined in Appendix 1

NSW Government 3
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
Veolia Veolia Environmental Services Pty Ltd which operates the Woodlawn Waste Facility
(06_0239) and the Woodlawn Bioreactor and Crisps Creek Intermodal Facility
(10_0012)
WRP Woodlawn Reprocessing Project
WUP Woodlawn Underground Project

NSW Government 4
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 SCHEDULE 2
ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONS

TERMS OF APPROVAL

1. The Proponent shall carry out the project generally in accordance with the:
(a) EA; and
(b) conditions of this approval.

2. If there is any inconsistency between the above documents, the most recent document shall prevail to the
extent of the inconsistency. However, the conditions of this approval shall prevail to the extent of any
inconsistency.

3. The Proponent shall comply with any reasonable requirement/s of the Secretary arising from the
Department’s assessment of:
(a) any strategies, plans, programs, reviews, audits, reports or correspondence that are submitted in
accordance with this approval; and
(b) the implementation of any actions or measures contained in these documents.

4. In addition to meeting the specific performance criteria established under this approval, the Proponent
shall implement all reasonable and feasible measures to prevent and/or minimise any material harm to the
environment that may result from the construction, operation or rehabilitation of the project.

LIMITS ON APPROVAL

Mining Operations

5. The Proponent may carry out mining operations on the site until 31 December 2034.

Note: Under this approval, the Proponent is required to rehabilitate the site and perform additional undertakings to the
satisfaction of both the Secretary and the Department of Resources and Energy. Consequently, this approval will
continue to apply in all other respects other than the right to conduct mining operations until the rehabilitation of the site
and these additional undertakings have been carried out satisfactorily.

Ore Extraction and Processing

6. The Proponent shall not:

(a) process more than 1.5 million tonnes of tailings and/or ore on the site in a calendar year; or
(b) transport more than 150,000 tonnes of concentrate from the site in a calendar year.

Transportation

7. The Proponent shall transport all concentrate from the site via Collector Road (east of the site), the
Tarago-Bungendore Road (north of Collector Road), Braidwood Road and the Hume Highway.

Hours of Operation

8. The Proponent shall comply with the operating hours in Table 1.

Table 1: Operating Hours

Activity Operating Hours
Construction and rehabilitation 7am to 7pm, 7 days per week
Mining, maintenance and processing operations 24 hours, 7 days per week
Transportation of ore concentrate from the site 7am to 10pm, 7 days per week

STRUCTURAL ADEQUACY

9. The Proponent shall ensure that all new buildings and structures, and any alterations or additions to
existing buildings and structures, are constructed in accordance with the relevant requirements of the BCA
and the DSC.

Notes:
 Under Part 4A of the EP&A Act, the Proponent is required to obtain construction and occupation certificates for the
proposed building works. Part 8 of the EP&A Regulation sets out the requirements for the certification of the project;
and
 Under the Dams Safety Act 1978, the Proponent will require a further approval for the project’s new tailings storage
facility (TSF4).

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DEMOLITION

10. The Proponent shall ensure that all demolition work is carried out in accordance with Australian Standard
AS 2601-2001: The Demolition of Structures, or its latest version.

PROTECTION OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

11. Unless the Proponent and the applicable authority agree otherwise, the Proponent shall:
(a) repair, or pay the full costs associated with repairing, any public infrastructure that is damaged by the
project; and
(b) relocate, or pay the full costs associated with relocating, any public infrastructure that needs to be
relocated as a result of the development.

OPERATION OF PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

12. The Proponent shall ensure that all the plant and equipment used at the site, or to transport materials from
the site, is:
(a) maintained in a proper and efficient condition; and
(b) operated in a proper and efficient manner.

STAGED SUBMISSION OF ANY STRATEGY, PLAN OR PROGRAM

13. With the approval of the Secretary, the Proponent may:

(a) submit any strategy, plan or program required by this approval on a progressive basis; and
(b) combine any strategy, plan or program required by this approval with any similar strategy, plan or
program required for the project.

Notes:
 While any strategy, plan or program may be submitted on a progressive basis, the Proponent will need to ensure
that the operations on site are covered by suitable strategies, plans or programs at all times; and
 If the submission of any strategy, plan or program is to be staged, then the relevant strategy, plan or program must
clearly describe the specific stage to which the strategy, plan or program applies, the relationship of this stage to
any future stages, and the trigger for updating the strategy, plan or program.

DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS

14. Prior to the commencement of operations on the site, and during the operational life of the project, unless
otherwise agreed by the Secretary, the Proponent shall pay Council:
(a) a minimum annual road maintenance payment of $0.043 per kilometre per tonne for product
transported along Council maintained roads in accordance with Council’s Section 94 Development
Contributions Plan 2009 Amendment No. 2 (indexed to inflation); and
(b) a community enhancement payment of $1.26 million over the life of the project in accordance with
Council’s Section 94A Development Contributions Plan 2009 Amendment No. 2,
to the satisfaction of Council.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 SCHEDULE 3
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS

TAILINGS DAMS

Performance Measures

1. The Proponent shall ensure that the:

(a) design of all tailings dams on the site is in accordance with the requirements of the Dam Safety
Committee under the Dams Safety Act 1978;
(b) lining of the floor and walls of Tailings Storage Facility 4 achieves a permeability of no less than
1 x 10-9 m/s to a depth of at least 900 millimetres of clay (or equivalent) in accordance with the EPA’s
Environmental Guidelines for Solid Waste Landfills;
(c) material used to repair the facilities achieves a permeability of no less than 1 x 10-9 m/s to a depth of
at least 900 millimetres of clay (or equivalent) if the floor and walls of Tailings Dams North, South and
West require repairing;
(d) capping of the tailings dams is generally consistent with the site capping requirements contained in
the EPA’s Environmental Guidelines for Solid Waste Landfills, and achieves a final landform that is
safe, long term stable, and suitable for achieving the rehabilitation objectives in Table 2 below;
(e) tailings and evaporation dams are maintained with a minimum freeboard of 600 mm or a minimum
freeboard sufficient to accommodate a 1 in 100-year ARI, 72-hour rainfall event without overtopping at
all times, whichever is greater;
(f) the clean water diversion around Tailings Storage Facility 4 shall be designed, constructed and
maintained to prevent the flood waters (up to the probable maximum flood level) from entering the
facility;
(g) source of seepage from Tailings Dam South is indentified and repaired within 3 years of commencing
tailings reprocessing operations on the site; and
(h) existing seepage collection area is lined with a low permeability geotextile membrane within 1 year of
completing the repair work on Tailings Dams South,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Alternative permeability and thickness standards for the lining and capping of tailings dams may be
acceptable following completion of an appropriate risk assessment undertaken in accordance with the
Environmental Guidelines – Management of Tailings Storage Facilities (VIC DPI, 2004) - or equivalent,
with the written agreement of the Dam Safety Committee, EPA and the Secretary.

Tailings Rehabilitation Strategy

2. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Tailings Rehabilitation Strategy for the project to the
satisfaction of the Secretary. The strategy must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with DRG;
(b) be submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to commencement of construction on the site;
(c) confirm there would be sufficient capping material to rehabilitate the tailings and evaporation dams;
(d) confirm this material would be available in time for the progressive rehabilitation of the tailings and
evaporation dams;
(e) confirm that the physical characteristics of the capping material would be able to achieve the
rehabilitation objectives for the tailings dams and the evaporation dams;
(f) confirm the capping material would not result in any additional adverse environmental consequences;
(g) confirm that manner in which the compost from the Veolia AWT is proposed to be used on the site is
covered by a valid exemption issued by the EPA; and
(h) include contingency measures to be implemented if the organic material proves to be unsuitable,
including detailed plans of the location, nature and quantity of alternative rehabilitation material to be
sourced from the site.

UNDERGROUND MINING

Performance Measures

3. The Proponent shall ensure that:

(a) there is no measurable subsidence caused by underground mining beneath the Woodlawn Landfill,
tailings dams, and evaporations dams on the site;
(b) apart from the access decline, no underground mining is undertaken within 200 m of the perimeter of
the Woodlawn Landfill;
(c) remnant underground voids are long term stable to prevent subsidence; and
(d) material used to backfill underground voids is physically and chemically stable and non-polluting.

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Extraction Plan

4. The Proponent shall prepare and implement an Extraction Plan for all underground mining at the
Woodlawn Mine, to the satisfaction of the Secretary. Each Extraction Plan must:
(a) be prepared by suitably qualified and experienced persons whose appointment has been endorsed by
the Secretary;
(b) be approved by the Secretary before the Proponent carries out any underground mining (excluding
construction of the underground access decline) at the Woodlawn Mine that is covered by the
Extraction Plan;
(c) include detailed plans of existing and proposed underground workings and any associated surface
development;
(d) describe in detail the performance indicators and the actions that would be undertaken to ensure
compliance with the performance measures in Condition 3 above, and manage or remediate any
impacts and/or environmental consequences to meet the rehabilitation objectives in Condition 6
below; and
(e) include a Subsidence Monitoring Program to assist with the management of the risks associated with
subsidence, which validates the subsidence predictions, analyses the relationship between the
predicted and resulting subsidence effects, and informs contingency planning and the adaptive
management process in the underground workings.

The Proponent shall pay all reasonable costs incurred by the Department to engage suitably qualified,
experienced and independent experts to review the adequacy of any aspect of an Extraction Plan.

Notes: In accordance with Condition 13 of Schedule 2, the preparation and implementation of Extraction Plans may be
staged, with each plan covering a defined area of underground workings. In addition, these plans are only required to
contain management plans that are relevant to the specific underground workings that are being carried out.

Paste Fill

5. The Proponent shall commission a suitably qualified expert, whose appointment has been endorsed by the
Secretary to:
(a) carry out trials and testing to clarify the physical and leaching characteristics of the paste fill;
(b) prepare a program for the ongoing testing of the paste fill to ensure it meets the performance
measures in Condition 3 above; and
(c) prepare a report on the findings of trials and testing, and submit the report to the Secretary for
approval prior to the commencement of underground mining operations on the site (excluding
construction of the underground access decline).

REHABILITATION OBJECTIVES

6. The Proponent shall rehabilitate the site to the satisfaction of the Secretary. This rehabilitation must be
generally consistent with the proposed rehabilitation plan described in the EA (and reproduced in Appendix
4), and comply with the rehabilitation objectives in Table 2.

Table 2: Rehabilitation Objectives

Feature Objectives
Mine site  Safe, stable and non-polluting with no final voids on the surface
(as a whole)  Integrated with the rehabilitation of the Woodlawn Landfill
 Revegetated with plant species characteristic of Western Tablelands Dry
Forest vegetation community
Underground  No measurable subsidence effects on the Woodlawn Landfill, evaporation dams
workings and tailings dams on the site
Surface  To be decommissioned and removed, unless otherwise agreed with the
infrastructure Secretary
Waste rock  Any seepage from the waste rock dumps to be contained and treated on the
dumps site
Tailings dams  All tailings contained within low permeability structures with no seepage to
surrounding areas from tailings dams
 Final landform and vegetation cover to be stable, self sustaining, free draining
and consistent with surrounding rehabilitated areas
Evaporation  Final landform and vegetation cover to be stable, self sustaining, free draining
dams and consistent with surrounding rehabilitated areas
Rehabilitated  All rehabilitated slopes to be less than 10 degrees and free draining (except for
slopes the dam walls which are permitted to have a final slope of up to 18 degrees)
Drainage lines  Hydraulically and geomorphologically stable, with vegetation that is in the same
condition or better than that which existed prior to mining under this approval
Revegetation  Establish at least 71 hectares of the Western Tablelands Dry Forest vegetation
area community shown in Appendix 3.
Community  Minimise the adverse socio-economic effects associated with mine closure

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 SCHEDULE 4
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS

WATER RESOURCES

Under the Water Act 1912 and/or the Water Management Act 2000, the Proponent is required to obtain all necessary water
licences for the project.

Water Supply

1. The Proponent shall ensure that it has sufficient water for all stages of the project, and if necessary, adjust
the scale of mining operations to match its available water supply, to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Water Discharges

2. Except as may be expressly provided by an EPL, the Proponent shall comply with Section 120 of the
POEO Act during the carrying out of the project.

Existing Acid Drainage

3. Within 5 years of the date of this approval, the Proponent shall identify the passive system to treat
seepage from the existing Waste Rock Dump in consultation with DRG, and implement the preferred
system to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Water Management Plan

4. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Water Management Plan for the project to the satisfaction
of the Secretary. This plan must be prepared in consultation with EPA, DPI – Water, WaterNSW, Infigen
Energy and Veolia, by suitably qualified and experienced persons whose appointment has been approved
by the Secretary, and submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to the commencement of mining
operations under this approval. This plan must include:
(a) a Site Water Balance that includes details of:
 sources of water supply;
 water use on site, including any potable water use;
 water transfers to/from the site; and
 any off-site water discharges;
(b) a Surface Water Management Plan, which includes:
 baseline data on surface water flow and quality in natural waterbodies that could be affected by
the project;
 a detailed description of the surface water management system on the site, including the:
- clean water diversions;
- erosion and sediment controls;
- water storage structures; and
- tailings and evaporation dams;
(c) design objectives and performance criteria for the following:
- the surface water management system;
- tailings and evaporation dams; and
- waterbodies that could be affected by the project;
 a program to monitor:
- the effectiveness of the water management system;
- surface water flows, quality, and impacts on other water users;
- potential acid rock drainage from the waste rock dumps;
- potential seepage from tailings and evaporation dams; and
- post-closure water quality;
(d) a Groundwater Management Plan, which includes:
 baseline data of all groundwater levels, yield and quality of any privately-owned groundwater
bores that could be affected by the project;
 groundwater assessment criteria;
 definition of areas of existing groundwater contamination;
 a program to monitor:
- existing groundwater contamination indentified on the site;
- impacts on the groundwater supply of potentially affected landowners;
- the volume of groundwater inflow into the underground workings;
- regional groundwater levels and quality in potentially affected aquifers;
- potential groundwater quality impacts from paste fill operations;
- potential acid rock drainage;
- potential seepage from tailings and evaporation dams; and
- the effectiveness of the seepage collection, treatment and storage system associated with
the tailings dams, waste rock dumps, evaporation dams and all other water storages that
receive contaminated or salt-laden water;
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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
  reporting procedures for the results of the monitoring program;
(e) a Surface and Ground Water Response Plan that includes:
 trigger levels for investigating any potential adverse surface water and groundwater impacts of
the project, including but not limited to seepage of contaminated water from the tailings dams,
waste rock dumps, evaporation dams and the Woodlawn Landfill;
 a protocol for the investigation, notification and mitigation of existing groundwater contamination
on the site and any exceedances of the surface water and groundwater assessment criteria;
 measures to mitigate and/or compensate potentially affected landowners (including compensatory
water supply if required);
 the procedures that would be followed to determine any appropriate action to be taken to mitigate
or offset any surface or groundwater impacts caused by the project that constitute material harm
to the environment.

Note: The effectiveness of the Water Management Plan is to be reviewed and audited in accordance with the
requirements in Schedule 6. Following this review and audit the plan is to be revised to ensure it remains up to date
(see Condition 5 of Schedule 6).

Water Management Performance Measures

4A The Proponent shall comply with the performance measures in Table 3 to the satisfaction of the
Secretary.

Table 3: Water Management Performance Measures

Feature Performance Measure
Erosion and Sediment -  Design, install and maintain erosion and sediment controls generally in
General accordance with the series Managing Urban Stormwater: Soils and
Construction – Volume 1 and Volume 2E Mines and Quarries
Paste Fill Plant  Design, install and maintain the paste fill plant to minimise potential for
uncontrolled flows of tailings, materials, chemicals or waters (including
but not limited to bunding of the tailings storage tanks) in accordance
with the relevant Australian Standards.

NOISE

Noise Criteria

5. The Proponent shall ensure that the noise generated by the project does not exceed the criteria in Table 4
at any residence on privately-owned land.

Table 4: Noise Criteria dB(A)

Receivers Day/Evening /Night Night
(LAeq(15-minute)) (LA1(max))
All residential receivers 35 45

Note: After the first review of any EPL granted for this project under Section 78 of the POEO Act, nothing in this
approval prevents the EPA from imposing stricter noise limits on the mining operations on site under the EPL.

Appendix 6 sets out the meteorological conditions under which these criteria apply, and the requirements
for evaluating compliance with these criteria.

However, these criteria do not apply if the Proponent has an agreement with the relevant owner(s) to
exceed the criteria, and the Proponent has advised the Department in writing of the terms of this
agreement.

Operating Conditions

6. The Proponent shall implement best management practice, including all reasonable and feasible noise
mitigation measures, to minimise the construction, operational, low frequency and road noise from the
project, to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Noise Management Plan

7. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Noise Management Plan for the project to the satisfaction of
the Secretary. The plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with the EPA, and submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to
commencing construction on the site;
(b) describe the measures that would be implemented to minimise noise generated by the project,
including road noise at the St Andrews Anglican Church;
(c) include a monitoring program that:
 uses attended monitoring to evaluate the performance of the project;

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
  includes a protocol for determining exceedances of the criteria identified in Table 3;
 evaluates and reports on the effectiveness of the noise management system on site; and
(d) describe how noise management and monitoring on the site would be integrated with the Woodlawn
Landfill.

BLASTING

Blasting Criteria

8. The Proponent shall ensure that blasting on the site does not cause exceedances of the criteria in Table 5.

Table 5: Blasting Criteria

Time of Blasting Airblast
Ground vibration Allowable
Location overpressure
(mm/s) exceedance
(dB(Lin Peak))
Residence Any time
120 10 0%
on privately-
owned land Day 115 5 5% of the total
Evening number of blasts
- 2 over a period of 12
months
Night, and all day
on Sundays and - 1 0%
public holidays

Note: All blasts are to be designed by a suitably qualified and experienced blasting engineer.

Blasting Hours

9. The Proponent shall comply with the blasting hours in Table 6.

Table 6: Blasting Hours

Activity Blasting Hours

Surface blasting 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays

Underground blasting Anytime

Blasting Frequency

10. In relation to above ground blasting, the Proponent may carry out a maximum of 1 blast per day, unless an
additional blast is required following a blast misfire.

This condition does not apply to blasts required to ensure the safety of the site or its workers, and to minor
additional blasts required during the construction of the box cut to access the underground workings.

Note: For the purpose of this condition, a blast refers to a single blast event, which may involve a number of individual
blasts fired in quick succession in a discrete area of the site.

Operating Conditions

11. During operation of the project, the Proponent shall implement best management practice to:
(a) protect the safety of people and livestock in the surrounding area;
(b) protect public or private infrastructure/property in the surrounding area from any damage; and
(c) minimise the dust and fume emissions from any blasting; and
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Blast Management Plan

12. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Blast Management Plan for the project to the satisfaction of
the Secretary. This plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with the Veolia and Infigen Energy, and submitted to the Secretary for
approval prior to commencing blasting on the site;
(b) describe the process for incrementally developing and monitoring blasting design;
(c) describe the blast mitigation measures that would be implemented to ensure compliance with the
blasting criteria in Table 4; and
(d) include a blast monitoring program to evaluate the performance of the project.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
AIR QUALITY

Odour

13. The Proponent shall ensure that no offensive odours generated by the project are emitted from the site, as
defined under the POEO Act.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

14. The Proponent shall implement all reasonable and feasible measures to minimise the release of
greenhouse gas emissions from the site to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Air Quality Criteria

15. The Proponent shall ensure that all reasonable and feasible avoidance and mitigation measures are
employed so that particulate matter emissions generated by the project do not exceed the criteria listed in
Tables 7, 8 and 9 at any residence on privately-owned land.

Table 7: Long term impact assessment criteria for particulate matter

Pollutant Averaging Period d Criterion
Total suspended particulate (TSP) matter Annual a 90 µg/m3

Particulate matter < 10 µm (PM10) Annual a 30 µg/m3

Table 8: Short term impact assessment criterion for particulate matter

Pollutant Averaging Period d Criterion
Particulate matter < 10 µm (PM10) 24 hour a 50 µg/m3

Table 9: Long term impact assessment criteria for deposited dust

Maximum increase in Maximum total
Pollutant Averaging Period
deposited dust level deposited dust level
c Deposited dust Annual b 2 g/m2/month a 4 g/m2/month

However, the criteria listed in Tables 6, 7 and 8 do not apply if the Proponent has an agreement with the
relevant owner(s) to exceed the criteria, and the Proponent has advised the Department in writing of the
terms of this agreement.

Notes to Tables 6, 7 and 8:

 a Total impact (i.e. incremental increase in concentrations due to the project plus background concentrations due to
all other sources);
 b Incremental impact (i.e. incremental increase in concentrations due to the project on its own);
 c Deposited dust is to be assessed as insoluble solids as defined by Standards Australia, AS/NZS
3580.10.1:2003: Methods for Sampling and Analysis of Ambient Air - Determination of Particulate Matter -
Deposited Matter - Gravimetric Method; and
 d Excludes extraordinary events such as bushfires, prescribed burning, dust storms, fog, fire incidents or any other
activity agreed by the Secretary.

Operating Conditions

16. The Proponent shall:

(a) implement best practice air quality management on site, including all reasonable and feasible
measures to minimise the off-site odour, fume and dust emissions generated by the project; and
(b) minimise any visible air pollution generated by the project;
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Air Quality Management Plan

17. The Proponent shall prepare and implement an Air Quality Management Plan for the project to the
satisfaction of the Secretary. This plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with the EPA, and be submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to
commencing construction on the site;
(b) describe the measures that would be implemented to ensure compliance with Conditions 13 to 16
above;
(c) include an air quality monitoring program that:
 uses a combination of high volumes samplers and dust deposition gauges to evaluate the
performance of the project; and
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  includes a protocol for determining exceedances of the relevant conditions of this approval; and
(d) describe the measures that would be implemented to minimise the release of greenhouse gas
emissions from the site.

Meteorological Monitoring

18. For the life of the project, the Proponent shall ensure that there is a suitable meteorological station
operating in the vicinity of the site that complies with the requirements in the Approved Methods for
Sampling of Air Pollutants in New South Wales guideline.

LAND MANAGEMENT

Waste Rock Management Plan

19. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Waste Rock Management Plan to the satisfaction of the
Secretary. The plan must:
(a) be developed in consultation with DRG, EPA and DPI – Water;
(b) be submitted for the approval of the Secretary prior to commencing underground mining operations;
(c) include a detailed description of the procedures to be implemented to monitor and manage potential
acid forming material, including:
 testing for potentially acid forming waste rock prior to it being brought to the surface;
 prioritising the relocation of potential acid forming material to suitable underground locations prior
to oxidation;
 using all reasonable and feasible measures to prevent waste rock emplaced underground from
further oxidising or causing impacts on groundwater;
 trigger levels for any material that has oxidised to the extent that it cannot be placed underground
without impacting groundwater quality, and procedures for adequate capping and sealing of such
material at the surface;
 effective isolation and/or neutralisation of potential acid forming material in waste rock dumps;
and
(d) reflect the groundwater and surface water monitoring programs to monitor potentially acid forming
waste rock and any leachate generated, including appropriately designed detection and response
systems for acid generation (covering monitoring methods, trigger levels and proposed management
and/or treatment actions).

Vegetation Management Plan

20. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Vegetation Management Plan for the project to the
satisfaction of the Secretary. This plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with OEH and submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to
commencing construction;
(b) describe how the additional 71 hectares of revegetation area (shown in Appendix 3) would be
integrated with the overall rehabilitation of the site;
(c) describe the short, medium, and long term measures that would be implemented to:
 manage the remnant vegetation and habitat on the site and in the revegetated area/s; and
 implement revegetation, including detailed performance and completion criteria;
(d) include a detailed description of the procedures to be implemented for:
 minimising the impacts on fauna on site, including pre-clearance surveys;
 enhancing the quality of existing vegetation and fauna habitat;
 restoring native vegetation and fauna habitat on the revegetated area through focusing on
assisted natural regeneration, targeted vegetation establishment and the introduction of fauna
habitat features, including establishing and maintaining bat habitat for the Eastern Bent-wing Bat
and Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat;
 establishing a revegetation planting density that is consistent with the rehabilitation objectives in
Table 2 of Schedule 3;
 maximising the salvage of resources within the approved disturbance area – including vegetative
and soil resources – for beneficial reuse in the rehabilitation of the site;
 collecting and propagating seed;
 bushfire management;

 controlling weeds, feral pests, erosion and access to the revegetation areas; and
(e) include a seasonally-based program to monitor and report on the effectiveness of these measures,
and progress against the detailed performance and completion criteria; and
(f) include details of who would be responsible for monitoring, reviewing and implementing the plan.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
Progressive Rehabilitation

21. The Proponent shall carry out rehabilitation of the site progressively, that is, as soon as reasonably
practicable after disturbance. All reasonable and feasible measures must be taken to minimise the total
area exposed for dust generation at any time. Interim rehabilitation strategies shall be employed when
areas prone to dust generation cannot be permanently rehabilitated until later in the project life.

Note: It is accepted that some parts of the site that are progressively rehabilitated may be subject to further disturbance
at some later stage of the project.

Rehabilitation Management Plan

22. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Rehabilitation Management Plan for the project to the
satisfaction of the Director- General. This plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with the DRG, EPA, DPI – Water, WaterNSW and Council;
(b) be submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to carrying out mining operations on the site;
(c) be prepared in accordance with any relevant DRG guideline;
(d) outline the procedures to be implemented to achieve the rehabilitation objectives in Condition 6 of
Schedule 3;
(e) outline the operational procedures (including testing, monitoring and performance criteria) used to
verify the ongoing suitability of the compost material to be used in rehabilitation;
(f) include detailed designs for the short term and long term rehabilitation of tailings and evaporation
dams, including surface water management and capping design which takes into account total
predicted settlement;
(g) include detailed performance and completion criteria for evaluating the performance of the
rehabilitation of the site;
(h) describe the measures that would be implemented to ensure compliance with the relevant conditions
of this approval, and address all aspects of rehabilitation including mine closure, final landform, and
final land use; and
(i) include a program to monitor, independently audit and report on the ongoing effectiveness of the
measures and progress towards the detailed performance and completion criteria.

TRANSPORT

Dangerous Goods

23. Transportation of all dangerous goods to or from the site shall be undertaken in strict accordance with
Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail.

Access Road and Intersection Construction

24. The Proponent shall construct the site access road for heavy vehicles, and associated intersection of this
access road, prior to commencing construction of other components of the project on the site. The
intersection shall be designed and constructed to the satisfaction of Council and in accordance with the
applicable AUSTROADS standards.

Monitoring of Concentrate Transport

25. The Proponent shall:

(a) keep accurate records of the:
 amount of copper, lead and zinc concentrate transported from the site (on a monthly basis); and
 the date and time of loaded heavy vehicle movements from the site; and
(b) provide the Secretary with a summary of these heavy vehicle movements in the Annual Review.

Road Transport Protocol

26. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Road Transport Protocol for the project, to the satisfaction
of the Secretary. The protocol shall:
(a) be prepared in consultation with the RMS and Council;
(b) be submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to carrying out any development on the site;
(c) include a detailed Transport Code of Conduct that addresses:
 measures to ensure that heavy vehicles adhere to the designated haulage route in Condition 7 of
Schedule 2;
 staggering of heavy vehicle departures in consultation with Veolia to minimise impacts on the
road network;
 driver behaviour including adherence to speed limits, safe overtaking, and maintaining
appropriate distances between vehicles;
 contingency plans when the designated haulage route is disrupted; and
 procedures for ensuring compliance with and enforcement of the Code.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
HERITAGE

27. The Proponent shall prepare and implement a Heritage Management Plan for the project to the
satisfaction of the Secretary. The Plan must:
(a) be prepared in consultation with OEH and the Aboriginal stakeholders (in relation to the management
of Aboriginal heritage values);
(b) be submitted to the Secretary for approval prior to commencing construction on site;
(c) include consideration of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultural context and significance of the site;
(d) include programs/procedures and management measures for appropriate identification, management,
conservation and protection of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage items identified on the site.

VISUAL

28. The Proponent shall:

(a) establish a vegetation screen along the fence line next to Collector Road within 6 months of
commencement of construction;
(b) implement all reasonable and feasible measures to minimise the visual impacts of the project; and
(c) ensure that all external lighting associated with the project complies with Australian Standard AS4282
(INT) 1995 – Control of Obtrusive Effects of Outdoor Lighting,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

WASTE

29. The Proponent shall:

(a) minimise the waste generated by the project;
(b) ensure that the waste generated by the project is appropriately characterised, stored, handled and
disposed of in accordance with the Waste Classification Guidelines (EPA, 2009), or its latest version;
and
(c) manage on-site sewage treatment and disposal in accordance with the requirements of Council,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary

BUSHFIRE MANAGEMENT

30. The Proponent shall:

(a) ensure that the project is suitably equipped to respond to any fires on site; and
(b) assist the Rural Fire Service and emergency services as much as possible if there is a fire in the
surrounding area.

_______________________________________________________

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 SCHEDULE 5
ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES

NOTIFICATION OF LANDOWNERS

1. Within two weeks of obtaining monitoring results showing:

(a) an exceedence of any relevant noise criteria in Schedule 4, the Proponent shall notify affected
landowners and/ or tenants in writing of the exceedence, and provide regular monitoring results to
each of these affected parties until the project is again complying with the relevant criteria; and
(b) an exceedence of any relevant air quality criteria in Schedule 4, the Proponent shall send the affected
landowners and/ or tenants a copy of the NSW Health fact sheet entitled “Mine Dust and You” (as may
be updated from time to time).

INDEPENDENT REVIEW

2. If an owner of privately-owned land considers the project to be exceeding the relevant criteria in
Schedule 4, then he/she may ask the Secretary in writing for an independent review of the impacts of the
project on his/her land.

If the Secretary is satisfied that an independent review is warranted, then within two months of the
Secretary’s decision the Proponent shall:
(a) commission a suitably qualified, experienced and independent person, whose appointment has been
approved by the Secretary, to:
 consult with the landowner to determine his/ her concerns;
 conduct monitoring to determine whether the project is complying with the relevant criteria in
Schedule 4; and
 if the project is not complying with these criteria then identify measures that could be
implemented to ensure compliance with the relevant criteria.
(b) give the Secretary and landowner a copy of the independent review.

3. If the independent review determines that the project is complying with the relevant criteria in Schedule 4,
then the Proponent may discontinue the independent review with the approval of the Secretary.

4. If the independent review determines that the project is not complying with the relevant criteria in
Schedule 4, then the Proponent shall:
(a) implement all reasonable and feasible mitigation measures, in consultation with the landowner and
appointed independent person, and conduct further monitoring until the project complies with the
relevant criteria; or
(b) secure a written agreement with the landowner to allow exceedences of the relevant criteria,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 SCHEDULE 6
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, REPORTING AND AUDITING

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Environmental Management Strategy

1. The Proponent shall prepare and implement an Environmental Management Strategy for the project to
the satisfaction of the Secretary. This strategy must:
(a) be submitted for approval to the Secretary within 12 months of this approval;
(b) provide the strategic framework for the environmental management of the project;
(c) identify the statutory approvals that apply to the project;
(d) describe the role, responsibility, authority and accountability of all key personnel involved in the
environmental management of the project;
(e) describe the procedures that would be implemented to:
 keep the local community and relevant agencies informed about the operation and
environmental performance of the project;
 receive, handle, respond to, and record complaints;
 resolve any disputes that may arise during the course of the project;
 respond to any non-compliance;
 respond to emergencies; and
(f) include:
 copies of any strategies, plans and programs approved under the conditions of this approval;
and
 a clear plan depicting all the monitoring required to be carried out under the conditions of this
approval.

Adaptive Management

2. The Proponent shall assess and manage project-related risks to ensure that there are no exceedances
of the criteria and/or performance measures in Schedules 3 and 4. Any exceedance of these criteria
and/or performance measures constitutes a breach of this approval and may be subject to penalty or
offence provisions under the EP&A Act or EP&A Regulation.

Where any exceedance of these criteria and/or performance measures has occurred, the Proponent
shall, at the earliest opportunity:
(a) take all reasonable and feasible measures to ensure that the exceedance ceases and does not
recur;
(b) consider all reasonable and feasible options for remediation (where relevant) and submit a report
to the Department describing those options and any preferred remediation measures or other
course of action; and
(c) implement remediation measures as directed by the Secretary,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Management Plan Requirements

3. The Proponent shall ensure that the management plans required under this approval are prepared in
accordance with any relevant guidelines, and include:
(a) a description of:
 the relevant statutory requirements (including any relevant approval, licence or lease
conditions);
 any relevant limits or performance measures/criteria;
 the specific performance indicators that are proposed to be used to judge the performance of,
or guide the implementation of, the project or any management measures;
(b) a description of the measures that would be implemented to comply with the relevant statutory
requirements, limits, or performance measures/criteria;
(c) a program to monitor and report on the:
 impacts and environmental performance of the project;
 effectiveness of any management measures (see b above);
(d) a contingency plan to manage any unpredicted impacts and their consequences and to ensure
that ongoing impacts reduce to levels below relevant impact assessment criteria as quickly as
possible;
(e) a protocol for managing and reporting any:
 incidents and complaints;
 non-compliances with statutory requirements and exceedances of the impact assessment
criteria and/or performance criteria; and
(f) a protocol for periodic review of the plan.

Note: The Secretary may waive some of these requirements if they are unnecessary for particular management
plans.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
Annual Review

4. By the end of December each year (or other such timing as agreed by the Secretary), the Proponent
shall review the environmental performance of the project to the satisfaction of the Secretary. This
review must:
(a) describe the development (including any rehabilitation) that was carried out in the past year, and
the development that is proposed to be carried out over the next year;
(b) include a comprehensive review of the monitoring results and complaints records of the project
over the past year, which includes a comparison of these results against the:
 the relevant statutory requirements, limits or performance measures/criteria;
 requirements of any plan or program required under this approval;
 the monitoring results of previous years; and
 the relevant predictions in the EA;
(c) identify any non-compliance over the past year, and describe what actions were (or are being)
taken to ensure compliance;
(d) identify any trends in the monitoring data over the life of the project;
(e) identify any discrepancies between the predicted and actual impacts of the project, and analyse
the potential cause of any significant discrepancies; and
(f) describe what measures will be implemented over the next year to improve the environmental
performance of the project.

Revision of Strategies, Plans and Programs

5. Within three months of:

(a) the submission of an annual review under Condition 4 above;
(b) the submission of an incident report under Condition 7 below;
(c) the submission of an audit under Condition 9 below; or
(d) any modification to the conditions of this approval (unless the conditions require otherwise),
the Proponent shall review, and if necessary revise, the strategies, plans, and programs required under
this approval to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

Note: This is to ensure the strategies, plans and programs are updated on a regular basis, and incorporate any
recommended measures to improve the environmental performance of the project.

Community Consultative Committee

6. The Proponent shall establish and operate a CCC for the project in general accordance with the
Guidelines for Establishing and Operating Community Consultative Committees for Mining Projects
(Department of Planning, 2007, or its latest version), and to the satisfaction of the Secretary. This CCC
must be operating prior to commencing construction of the project.

Notes:
 The CCC is an advisory committee. The Department and other relevant agencies are responsible for ensuring
that the Proponent complies with this approval; and
 In accordance with the guideline, the Committee should be comprised of an independent chair and appropriate
representation from the Proponent, Council, recognised environmental groups and the local community.

REPORTING

Incident Reporting

7. The Proponent shall notify the Secretary and any other relevant agencies of any incident associated
with the project as soon as practicable after the Proponent becomes aware of the incident. Within
seven days of the date of the incident, the Proponent shall provide the Secretary and any relevant
agencies with a detailed report on the incident.

Regular Reporting

8. The Proponent shall provide regular reporting on the environmental performance of the project on its
website, in accordance with the reporting arrangements in any approved plans of the conditions of this
approval.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

9. Within one year of commencing construction of the project, and every three years thereafter, unless the
Secretary directs otherwise, the Proponent shall commission and pay the full cost of an Independent
Environmental Audit of the project. The audit must:
(a) be conducted by a suitably qualified, experienced and independent team of experts (including a
mine site rehabilitation and water quality expert) whose appointment has been endorsed by the
Secretary;
(b) include consultation with the relevant agencies;
(c) assess the environmental performance of the project and assess whether it is complying with the
requirements in this approval and any relevant EPL or Mining Lease (including any assessment,
plan or program required under these approvals);
(d) review the adequacy of strategies, plans or programs required under the abovementioned
approvals; and
(e) recommend appropriate measures or actions to improve the environmental performance of the
project, and/ or any assessment, plant or program required under the abovementioned approvals.

Note: This audit team must be led by a suitably qualified auditor and include experts in any fields specified by the
Secretary.

10. Within six weeks of the completion of this audit, or as otherwise agreed by the Secretary, the
Proponent shall submit a copy of the audit report to the Secretary, together with its response to any
recommendations contained in the audit report.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

11. Prior to the commencement of construction on the site, the Proponent shall:
(a) make copies of the following publicly available on its website:
 the documents referred to in Condition 1 of Schedule 2;
 all relevant statutory approvals for the project;
 all approved strategies, plans and programs required under the conditions of this approval;
 a comprehensive summary of the monitoring results of the project, reported in accordance
with the specifications in any approved plans or programs required under the conditions of this
or any other approval;
 a complaints register, which is to be updated on a monthly basis;
 minutes of CCC meetings;
 the annual reviews required under this approval;
 any independent environmental audit of the project, and the Proponent’s response to the
recommendations in any audit;
 any other matter required by the Secretary; and
(b) keep this information up-to-date,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

NSW Government 19
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 APPENDIX 1
SCHEDULE OF LAND

Mine Site (SML 20)

Lot DP
19 827588
21
20
70 754919
88
92
25
14
30
86
91

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 APPENDIX 2
PROJECT LAYOUT

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
NSW Government 22
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 APPENDIX 3
REVEGETATION AREAS

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 APPENDIX 4
REHABILITATION PLAN

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure
 APPENDIX 5
NOISE COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT

Applicable Meteorological Conditions

1. The noise criteria in Table 3 of the conditions are to apply under all meteorological conditions except
the following:
(a) during periods of rain or hail;
(b) average wind speed at microphone height exceeds 5 m/s;
(c) wind speeds greater than 3 m/s measured at 10 m above ground level; or
(d) temperature inversion conditions greater than 3°C/100 m.

Determination of Meteorological Conditions

2. Except for wind speed at microphone height, the data to be used for determining meteorological
conditions shall be that recorded by the meteorological station located on the site.

Compliance Monitoring

3. Unless otherwise agreed with the Secretary, monthly attended monitoring is to be used to evaluate
compliance with the relevant conditions of this approval.
4. Unless otherwise agreed with the Secretary, this monitoring is to be carried out in accordance with the
relevant requirements for reviewing performance set out in the NSW Industrial Noise Policy (as
amended from time to time), in particular the requirements relating to:
(a) monitoring locations for the collection of representative noise data;
(b) meteorological conditions during which collection of noise data is not appropriate;
(c) equipment used to collect noise data, and conformity with Australian Standards relevant to such
equipment; and
(d) modifications to noise data collected, including for the exclusion of extraneous noise and/or
penalties for modifying factors apart from adjustments for duration.

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Department of Planning and Infrastructure