The former Chuwar Coal Mine has become Queensland’s first fully-rehabilitated open cut coal mine, after the State Government accepted the surrender of New Hope Group’s Environmental Authority and Mining Leases for the site.
Located 5km from Ipswich and operating throughout the 1980s, the mine was determined to have met its rehabilitation requirements in full, following a review by the Queensland Government, which deemed the site safe, stable, non-polluting, and able to support grazing.
New Hope Group Chief Executive Officer, Rob Bishop, said the company decided to backfill the voids, reshape and rehabilitate the area to meet community expectations.
“The extensive rehabilitation works were conducted between 2014 and 2017, with ongoing works undertaken over the past eight years,” Mr Bishop said.
“The Chuwar Coal Mine site demonstrates New Hope Group’s commitment to being a responsible operator and ensuring the rehabilitation of mined land to a safe and productive post mining land use.”
