Protecting Waterway Health: A Decade Long Partnership Water is a vital resource with significant social, cultural, environmental and economic values.  At BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) comprehensive water management is prioritised to safeguard waterway health and achieve set context based water targets.  Context based water targets address water challenges shared by BMA and other stakeholders in the regions where they operate.  They focus on improvements in water resource management such as water reuse and consumption and effective mine water release management.   Recognising the potential impact of mine water release into the receiving environment, BMA has collaborated with Central Queensland University (CQU) over the past decade on the Aqua Eco Health Program (AEHP).  This initiative has collected and analysed water quality, sediment and biota data up and downstream of BMA operations in the Bowen Basin in Queensland.  The partnership has identified and unlocked valuable insights and trends by analysing extensive environmental data collected over the 10 years. This AEHP initiative comprehensively analyses all available historical environmental data collected and provides:  Valuable insights and trends into the potential impact of mine water release on [...]

The Importance of Water Recycling + Reuse in QLD's Coal Mining Industry Water is essential for the coal mining industry, especially in Queensland, where mining operations are extensive, and water scarcity is a real challenge. The industry relies on water for various processes, including dust suppression, mining operations, and resource processing. This heavy reliance, combined with other water users, presents both risks and opportunities for local water resources, particularly in areas like the Fitzroy Basin, which can experience prolonged periods of low rainfall. The mining sector has the expertise and capacity to drive sustainable practices, such as water recycling and reuse. At Anglo American’s steelmaking coal operations across the Fitzroy Basin, we’ve been proactive in implementing water recycling and reuse initiatives to contribute nature-positive outcomes for local water resources. Since 2020, we’ve increased our reuse and recycling from 50% to 65% of total water use. In 2024 alone, this led to a reduction of 1,023 million litres of freshwater withdrawal. A number of benefits for our operations include: Reduction in freshwater consumption: By recycling and reusing water, we significantly reduce our reliance [...]

Experts Agree on Science for Reef Protection: Scientific Consensus Statement The most comprehensive and rigorous review about the effects of land-based activities on Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition was released in August 2024: the 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement. The Statement brings together the latest scientific evidence to understand how land-based activities can influence water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, and how these influences can be managed. Led by C2O Consulting and funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, the Statement involved more than 200 experts including 78 authors and 69 reviewers from Australia and overseas. The outputs are based on evidence from over 4,000 publications. Based on the evidence, 35 scientific experts reached consensus on eight overarching conclusions, including that historical and continuing land management and catchment modification impair Great Barrier Reef water quality through extensive vegetation degradation, changed hydrology, increased erosion, and expansion of fertilised land uses, urban centres and coastal developments. The Statement, including its detailed conclusions, is available at www.reefwqconsensus.com.au