Southern Stability Cutback

  • It is expected that there will be some increase in vibration, and possibly noise and dust, for the residents and businesses neighbouring the cutback area.
  • Newmont Waihi Gold is committed to minimising nuisance effects.
  • Rehabilitation of the southern pit rim and environs will be carried out concurrently with initial southern stability cutback activities.
  • The proposed rehabilitation, coupled with interest in the relocated pumphouse, is expected to increase commercial opportunities, particularly at the top end of town.
  • Work on the southern stability cutback will extend presence in the open pit by three and a half to four years.

The company is committed to maintaining effective communication and consultation with the community throughout the period of the cutback, especially in respect of managing potential nuisance effects.

Please call our free phone with any questions or concerns –

      0800 NEWMONT
      0800 639 6668


nearly there...

Open Pit Activity Increasing

Over the past few months activities within the Martha Mine open pit have been minimal and therefore effects such as noise, vibration and dust have been barely noticeable to the majority of people.

Above: The southern stability cutback area is between the Judge's Kauri at the western end and the former Macmahon Whitehouse site to the east. The Judge's Kauri can be seen at the far right of the photograph below.

However, over the next few months neighbours will notice an increase in these effects as the level of activity in the pit increases.

Activities relating to the stability cut are blasting, excavating, loading, hauling, dumping and crushing - the same activities that have been practised over the last 18 years in the open pit.

We expect that people near the top of Seddon Street will be more aware of activities during the initial stages of the southern stability cutback than they were when general Martha mining operations were happening.

Over time the effects will become less obvious to neighbours as works progress deeper in to the open pit. At the start the activity will be in close proximity to the residential and commercial area at the southern and south western side of the pit. Heavy machinery will be closer to neighbours than before. While activity is taking place near the top of the rim noise in particular will be noticeable. As the activity gets deeper the machinery will be shielded to some extent by the barrier created by the pit wall above the activity. Also, with time, there will not be enough room to operate as much machinery and so the impact will diminish.

Potential Effects

Noise

There is the potential for increased noise levels during the initial construction phase when construction noise limits will apply.

The construction phase will be approximately three months from now until January 2007. Noise effects are most likely to be greatest during this time. However, work will take place behind the pit rim to the maximum extent possible. Following the construction phase, work will be carried out within operational noise limits.

Maximum construction noise limit is 75dBA. The operational noise limit is 55dBA for areas neighbouring the pit at the top of Seddon Street to the east of Gilmour Street. To the west of Gilmour Street, including the CBD, the operational noise limit is 50dBA.

Vibration

It is expected that blasting vibration will be the most noticeable effect from the operation, having the potential to influence amenity values for nearby residents for the duration of the project to early 2010.

During the first three months of the cut back initial excavation will not involve any blasting. We expect that vibration will be most noticeable during 2007, after which the works will be getting deeper into the pit and hence further away from residences.

Dust

There is the potential for dust from earthworks to become a nuisance. The southern stability cutback has some potential to generate dust for the duration of the project, but as with the other effects we'll be doing our best to minimise it.

How will these effects be addressed?

The company has been keeping contact with neighbours in the likely affected areas through meetings, newsletters and visits to establish an understanding so that people are aware of what is happening and who to contact if they have any concerns. In addition, Newmont Waihi Gold has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hauraki District Council in which the company and council will work together to identify mitigation measures if activities create nuisance effects on residents, even if the effects are within compliance. Copies are available on request.

Under that MoU, the company has updated the noise and vibration management and mitigation plans that were developed and operating during the last of the mining operations in the open pit. These provide a range of options that can be used to address the effects people may be experiencing. General manager Adriaan van Kersen explains,

Below: Heavy machinery is carrying out initial excavations for the southern stability cutback. The new pit rim will eventually be defined in this area by the bank that can be seen to the left of the pumphouse.

'Specific actions that we will take during the first few months of the project include operating machinery behind and below the pit rim to the maximum extent we can to reduce noise and free-digging as much of the material as possible to reduce the amount of blasting. Dust will be controlled with water carts and sprinklers.'

'If people feel they are being affected by the southern stability cutback they should tell us. Immediately. Use the free phone or call in to Golden Legacy Centre. The free phone is attended 24 hours a day. It is important that people let us know at the time the activity that is causing a nuisance is happening. That way, we have a better chance of identifying the cause and doing something about it as soon as is practicable.'

The Newmont Waihi Gold freephone is attended 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

0800 NEWMONT
(0800 639 6668)

An Influx of New Staff

.

HWE and Macmahon Contractors Ltd have been taking on a number of new workers over the last few weeks to keep up with demands created by the Favona operation and southern stability cutback activities.

Currently there are just over 60 people employed by HWE at Favona and about 62 people working for Macmahons, who won the contract to carry out the southern stability cutback over the next four years.

Newmont Waihi Gold directly employs around 100 people. In addition, many companies are contracted to work on various projects happening around the site. In the next few months these numbers will increase.

It is expected that the total number of people directly employed in full time equivalent positions attributable to mining in the region (employees and contractors) will be higher than at any other time in the company’s operation by the end of this year.

Staff who run the general and site-specific inductions have been working hard to keep up with the influx of new employees and contractors as well as providing general refresher inductions to current staff, who must renew their training every three years.

From August to the end of October, 164 people have completed general inductions.