Screens & Feeders

EPA backs new Tasmanian quarry

The proposed West Mooreville Quarry, 7km southwest of Burnie, would extract, crush and screen up to 20,000m2 of aggregate, stone and gravel per annum. Blasting would be undertaken approximately once per year.

The project – which drew no submissions during the public consultation period – would disturb 3ha of land. Source rock would be crushed and screened into various products stockpiled on the land, where it could be transported to various local road and construction projects.

The Tasmanian EPA concluded the proposed project could be managed in an “environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner”. It outlined conditions required for any permit that would ultimately be granted by the Burnie City Council.

“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly noise and natural values impacts,” Tasmanian EPA director Wes Ford said. “The EPA has imposed conditions to prescribe noise limits, monitor noise and vibration emitted by the activity, and to limit clearing and disturbance.”

Rehabilitation

According to the Environmental Effects Report (EER) lodged with the EPA, the land has been used as a non-commercial gravel pit for at least 10 years, supplying material to maintain and construct roads and hardstands on the farm where it is located.

Although the project would lease 26ha in total, the existing area of disturbed land is approximately 1.5ha. An additional 1.2ha would be required for expansion.

The report also stated that if decommissioning and rehabilitation is not conducted appropriately, there is potential for environmental harm through uncontrolled erosion into the nearby Cooee Creek, dust emissions and the spreading of weed infestations.

“While it is understood from the EER that the area of disturbed land required to effectively operate the activity will not allow much progressive rehabilitation to occur until the cessation of the activity, [a condition] is included to restrict the total area of disturbed land to 3ha and to require progressive rehabilitation where practical to do so,” the Tasmanian EPA report stated.

“Rehabilitation works will seek to restore the site to a regenerated native forest, with a similar woodlands community to that of the surrounding site.”

 

More reading:
Tasmanian operation seeks to raise production 
Sand operation seeks new tailings dam 
Quarry upgrade rejected due to proximity, vibrations 
Council asset gets green light to increase production 

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