Dawson Mine has reached a major rehabilitation milestone showing mined land can be responsibly restored for future agricultural use.
An 82-hectare area at Dawson Mine has achieved progressive certification for rehabilitation under the Environmental Protection Act, the first of Anglo American’s five steelmaking coal operations in the Bowen Basin to do so.
The land now supports cattle grazing, with up to 135 head on the agisted land near the Central Queensland communities of Moura, Banana and Theodore.
The certification is issued through Queensland’s environmental regulator – theDepartment of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
Anglo American environmental manager Jason Fittler said the rehabilitation work at Dawson Mine was an important step for the company and the wider industry.
“We’ve been working towards this since 2012 and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the land thriving again – this time as productive grazing country,” he said.
“Our goal has always been to return the land to a sustainable use and this certification shows we’re doing just that.
“It is a significant step forward in building trust with our communities. Ultimately, the land will return to them, so it’s important we prove we’ve been responsible custodians.”
Agistee Mick Kucks, from MNK Kucks Pastoral, said the trial showed great weight gain in the cattle compared to non-mining grazing land.
“Some of land is better than it was before mining,” he said. “The cattle are hard to find sometimes, the grass is too long. A paddock full of grass like that - any grazier is happy to see it.”
The process to achieve certification involved reshaping the land, returning carefully stockpiled topsoil containing native seed banks and beneficial bacteria, and then sowing grass seed as ground cover to prevent erosion and provide food for grazing animals. Reliable water sources also ensure the land remains useful and productive after mining.
Mr Fittler said the achievement was a testament to the dedication and expertise of everyone involved – from those who took the first steps a decade ago to the teams conducting grazing trials, ongoing monitoring and weed maintenance.
“The certification process involved rigorous monitoring and maintenance activities, demonstrating the critical role of land stewardship in ensuring successful rehabilitation outcomes,” he said.
“It showcases the power of collaboration and long-term commitment to responsible land management.
“Cattle grazing trials provided clear evidence of the land’s productivity, reinforcing the viability for future agricultural use to the regulator.
“This Dawson Mine certification is just the beginning. We’re continuing to seek opportunities to reinforce our commitment to sustainable mining and positive environmental outcomes on the lands where we operate.
“We want to demonstrate mining and sustainable land use can go hand in hand – leaving a positive legacy for future generations in our communities.”
In Australia, Anglo American has five steelmaking coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, along with additional joint venture interests in steelmaking coal and manganese, and base metals exploration projects in Queensland.
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