Capital and Overhauls engineer Nathan Green takes a water sample from the reverse osmosis membrane at the desalination plant at Moranbah North mine. A desalination plant at our Moranbah North mine in Queensland,
Australia, is now producing two million litres of potable water
every day, since becoming operational in March 2010. Benefiting the
surrounding environment as well as operations, it’s just
another way we are maximising our water resources.
Our metallurgical coal mine at Moranbah North commissioned the
desalination plant in December 2009 to offset its daily water
consumption, deliver environmental benefits and reduce costs.
Working with Orica Watercare, the $2.6 million plant was trialled
just two months later and by March 2010 was fully operational and
helping to reduce the water consumed and discharged by the
operation.
“The desalination plant produces two mega litres of potable
water each day from mine water stored in dewatering dams on the
surface, fed from the dewatering network,” says Tim Hobson,
underground operations general manager at Metallurgical Coal.
“This water will substitute raw water supply, be re-used
underground for longwall and development panel requirements and
across site, meeting Moranbah North mine’s average daily
water consumption.
“The plant also eliminates the need to discharge mine water
during the wet season as water stored will be processed and
utilised underground for mining operations.”
With many of our operations hosted in water-stressed catchments, we
believe the ever-increasing demand and competition for water
resources will lead to supply shortages, cost escalations and
legislative complexities. That’s why developing financially
sound initiatives where water is optimally used and recycled is
fundamental to our water strategy.
Projects such as those at Moranbah North have the potential to
unlock value in our current operations, safeguard future projects
and limit our impact on the surrounding environment and
communities.
With the desalination plant estimated to have a payback period of
four years, Tim is confident that this project is a prime example
of following our strategic approach.
“The plant itself is justified financially, because the cost
of operation, which includes energy, chemicals and maintenance
costs, is less than the current water purchase arrangements
utilised at Moranbah North mine,” he says.
“But equally as important, the plant adheres to all elements
of our Group Water Policy that puts environmental considerations to
the fore.”.