ULAN
Ulan Complex
Community Update
COAL
Community Open Day
Support for the Mudgee,
Ulan, Gulgong and Dunedoo
Communities for 2014
Over the last 12 months, Ulan
Coal has continued to support
the local communities through
providing sponsorship via it’s
Community Social Involvement
Program.
Previous successful applications
for support include Local schools
in Ulan, Mudgee, Gulgong,
Dunedoo, Merriwa and Cassilis,
the MAX potential program,
Talbragar River Care, local Wild
Dog Associations, MERV van,
Mudgee playgroup and regional
Shows.
Ulan Coal Mines asked local
schools for their ideas for our
2014 Community Support in
education. Schools in Mudgee,
Gulgong, Ulan and Dunedoo had
exciting ideas, with each selecting
different choices to benefit their
school. Examples of items we
are pleased to provide include
irrigation, vegie beds, a sand pit,
Aquabubblers, sports uniforms,
thesaurus and maths books,
sound and stage equipment and
musical instruments.
If your local volunteer
organisation is looking for
support or if you have a civic
project which needs person
power, why not visit our website
at www.ulancoal.com for further
information and guidance on
applying.
A warm day greeted over 800 visitors
to Ulan Coal on Saturday the 9th
November 2013 when the mine
opened its doors for the Ulan Complex
Community Open Day.
Parking at the Ulan Surface
Operations mine, visitors were
transported by coach through the
back roads of the open cut mine to
the Ulan West Underground mine
offices. Visitors waiting for a coach
were treated to a haul truck and dozer
display.
At Ulan West, mine staff who
volunteered for the day were on hand
to take visitors on tours around the
mine site. Excursions ranged from
walking tours around the ‘Mini Build’
(for a rare chance to see underground
equipment up close at surface level), to
a trip into the Ulan West Underground
mine to see a working mine in
operation.
Children were entertained with gift
bags, face painting and jumping
castles, while adults were keen to take
home a locally grown native plant for
their garden.
The day also included a free barbeque
prepared by the Mudgee branch of
the Lions Club, raffles and giveaways.
The local radio station, 2MG were
broadcasting live from the Ulan West
offices, playing music to keep the
crowd entertained and interviewing
staff.
Visitors at the Ulan Complex Community Open Day
Demonstrations on the day included
fire extinguishing by the Rural
Fire Brigade, a working at heights
demonstration, static machinery
displays and simulators/interactive
displays.
Ulan Coal wishes to warmly thank
all volunteer staff, companies and
community organisations who
contributed their time and resources to
help make this day a success.
Did you have your photograph taken
by our roving photographer at the
Ulan Complex Community Open
Day?
Go to www.ulancoal.com.au and click
on the link to see all the photo’s from
the day.
The Haul Truck and Dozers on display at Ulan Surface
Operations.
Ulan Coal Community Newsletter
August 2014
11
Around the Mine
Ulan Surface Operations
Ulan Number 3 Underground
Operations
It has been a busy year for staff at Ulan
Surface Operations.
2013 was a year of consolidation for
Ulan No.3 Underground, with our five
day operational profile embedded and
our workforce stabilised.
Having completed the extraction of
Longwall 27, the start of 2014 saw the
Longwall team relocating to a new
production zone, Longwall 28. Whilst
our relocation was a little behind
target, the team quickly rose to the
challenge of improving productivity
in both coal production and roadway
development in 2013.
Development has celebrated a
tremendous start to the year with all
areas ahead of target. Our momentum
continues to build in this area and the
platform for a successful year has
been laid. Safety remains a key focus,
with a positive trend delivered for
2014 thus far.
Rehabilitation at the Open Cut is
performing exceptionally well and is
being progressed in close proximity
to the active mining strips, which
is efficiently reducing the mine’s
disturbance footprint. Rehabilitation
works at Ulan West’s Dump 3 (over
53 hectares) continues to progress.
Additionally, remediation works for
a trial area of the Goulburn River
Diversion are to commence in Quarter
3 of 2014. This trial is to ensure that
the design concepts and mandatory
requirements are capable of being met.
This drain diverts clean water away
from the operations to prevent
contamination and maintain natural
flows.
Our dedication and focus on safety
has resulted in a remarkable safety
performance record throughout late
2013 and into 2014, with 833 days
without a Lost Time Injury and 697
Total Recordable Injury Free days as of
1st June 2014.
Our production teams have been
successful, meeting targets and
remaining under budget for the
year to date, and the Dragline major
shutdown is well underway.
Late 2013 saw the completion of
the Clean Water Diversion Drain.
We look forward to another successful
year in both productivity and an injury
free workplace.
Above: the Clean Water Diversion Drain at Ulan Surface Operations
Ulan West Underground Operations
Mudgee High School students with the donated
trumpet, flute, saxophone and violin.
Photo courtesy of Martin McNamara,
Mudgee High School
Visitors being taken on a tour around the Ulan West Underground mine.
For further information contact:
Robyn Stoney
Environment & Community Manager
T 02 6372 5368
E [email protected]
Ben Anderson
Snr Environment & Approvals Coordinator
T 02 6372 5131
E [email protected]
24 hour Community Hotline 1800 647 630
Development of the underground
roadways and the safe production of
coal continued throughout 2013 at
Ulan West Underground Operations.
our first Longwall panel. Our focus
on health, safety, environment and
community has remained firm as we
progress this stage.
We are pleased that our operational
performance over the past two years
has achieved records for both the
development of the underground
roadways, and for high levels of
work safety.
Construction of the Ulan West Stage
2 coal clearance system, which will
take coal from the underground’s hub
stockpile to the coal product stockpile
area, is progressing well with the first
system undergoing commissioning.
The second system, which will
further integrate Ulan West into the
existing systems, will be completed in
September 2014.
In May 2014, Ulan West Operations
moved into the next phase of the
mine’s operation - the extraction of
Above: Ulan West Longwall in operation
Ulan Coal | Community Newsletter 11 | 1
Continuing low coal prices and
a resilient Australian dollar have
created the toughest market
conditions in the industry for
more than 10 years.
Nonetheless, operational changes
implemented in 2013 have
enabled us to remain competitive
and we are very proud to
announce the commencement of
longwall mining at our Ulan West
underground mine.
I’d also like to welcome the
new chairman of the Ulan
Coal Community Consultation
Committee (CCC), Mr John
Turner.
John has chaired meetings in
Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 this year,
and we look forward to working
together at future meetings of the
Ulan Coal CCC.
Message from the
General Manager
Having recently taken up the
position as General Manager
of Ulan Coal, I am pleased
to present an update on our
operations.
I would like to take this
opportunity to wish Dan Clifford
and his young family all the best
as he takes up fresh challenges
working overseas.
It is something of a homecoming
for me, having three years with
Ulan No. 3 underground to
2007 prior to my most recent
position as Operations Manager
at Glencore’s West Wallsend
underground mine.
While we aim to continue to
deliver strong results at Ulan,
the Australian coal industry
is battling difficult economic
headwinds.
Ulan Coal is proud to be able
to continue our community
investment program in 2014.
Donations are made towards
enterprise and job creation,
environment, education, social
and community development,
health and culture and art
projects.
This newsletter presents a
selection of projects for your
interest and information.
Our Community Open Day, held
in early November 2013 was a
highlight. A feature on the day
appears on Page 4.
I hope the information about
the operations and changes
happening around the mine is
helpful and I look forward to
working with Ulan Coal and the
regional community.
Regards,
Charlie Allan
Photo courtesy of Darren Snyder, Mudgee Guardian
(13 June 2014)
2 | Ulan Coal | Community Newsletter 11
Apprentices Irrigation
Project
Apprentices and graduates from Ulan
Coal have earned top marks for a
school assignment recently completed
at Ulan Public School.
Keeping water up to the schools’ new
trees and vegetable gardens was
posing a mighty task for the small
community, particularly over the
Christmas period, with the plants
requiring watering every second day.
That’s when Ulan’s Graduates and
Apprentices stepped in to help. The
keen graduates designed an irrigation
system to ensure efficient watering
of the plants could be achieved
without constant attention, and then
enthusiastically constructed trenches
and connected up the equipment.
Final commissioning of the system
resulted in the new trees and gardens
are being watered while school was
out, giving the teachers, students and
parents a well–earned break. The
project was a rewarding community
experience for the apprentices and
graduates involved.
Ulan West
Modification
Ongoing exploration and
refinements to mine planning
have identified additional coal
resources within the existing
mining lease and exploration
lease area. We are seeking
approval for a change to the
Ulan West mine plan that
includes extending seven
underground longwall mining
panels between 900 and 1300
metres.
The proposed modification
would result in the extraction
of an additional 13 million
tonnes of coal and an overall
extension to the operation
of the Ulan Mine of 2 years.
Based on current planning,
there will be no significant
change to the currently
approved location of surface
infrastructure, including the
coal handling and preparation
area. Minor realignment of
ventilation infrastructure
may be required and the new
location of this infrastructure
will be determined during the
assessment process.
There will be no change to the
annual rate of coal extraction,
processing or transportation
at the Ulan complex. There
will be no change to workforce
numbers for currently approved
operations.
An environmental assessment
has commenced for the
proposed modification to Ulan
West. Based on the nature of the
Above: The proposed modification to the Ulan West underground mine plan
proposed extension it is anticipated
that the majority of community
and environmental impacts will be
consistent with current approved
operations. The environmental
assessment will include relevant
detailed technical studies including
subsidence, groundwater, surface
water, cultural heritage and socio-
economic issues. Ulan Coal are
seeking to lodge the application
and environmental assessment
with the Department of Planning
and Environment by late 2014.
If you have any questions or
comments about the proposal,
please contact Ben Anderson on
02 6372 5131.
Additional Water Treatment Facility
Ulan Coal has committed a major
capital investment to provide
additional water treatment capacity
onsite. The additional water treatment
facility is designed to produce an
additional 8 megalitres per day of
filtered clean water. This water is then
blended with raw water to produce a
water source suitable for discharge in
accordance with the Environmental
Protection License.
The new facility is expected to be in
service in September 2014. The water
treatment provides for sustainable
water management for the life of the
operations.
Ulan Coal | Community Newsletter 11 | 3