Stanmore Coal: Reduce and reuse

Stanmore Coal installed a new pumping system at its Isaac Plains processing plant in 2019 which uses mine-affected water instead of raw water, saving up to 200 megalitres of raw water per year.

The pumping system assists in reducing the inventory of mine-affected water on the site, while also consuming around 1,000 tonnes of salt per year associated with the higher salinity mine water.

Prior to the installation of the new pumping system, the Isaac Plains processing plant sourced water from external raw water suppliers to make-up for water  that remained in coal as a result of the washing process. After washing, the moisture content of coal is increased by around 5 per cent and this additional  moisture remains in the coal when it is exported.