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2 August 2012

Gujarat Coking Coal

Biosis Ecology and Heritage Monitoring

Gujarat NRE (Gujarat) is an Australian public company that owns and operates two hard coking coal mines in the southern coalfield of New South Wales.

Gujarat has invested about US $750 million over the past eight years to expand the production capability of its mines, improve infrastructure and take action to protect and monitor the environment.

Biosis has been involved with Gujarat since 2006, undertaking ecological and heritage assessments that provide baseline data to allow comparisons with data collected once mining commences. By undertaking this type of monitoring Biosis is able to provide informative and reliable advice to Gujarat about the impacts (if any) of its activities on ecology and heritage values.

Some considerations relevant to coal mining include potential diversion or reduction of water in creeks and rivers, iron staining in waterways, rock fracture, landscape change and impacts to habitat for flora and fauna.

For example, Biosis measures the presence and activity of fauna like dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies and water boatmen against a national standard; this information demonstrates the health and wellbeing of ecosystems around the mine sites and further afield.

Using the AusRivas monitoring technique, Biosis partners with Gujarat to ensure it adheres to the requirements of the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ensuring that our aquatic environments are protected.

Biosis' experience partnering with mining companies in the monitoring of sites of heritage and ecological significance has underpinned a strong relationship with Gujarat. Mining companies depend on Biosis professionalism, quality assurance and control and ability to scale up and down its monitoring teams to deliver rapid response and quick information.

Working with Gujarat’s Environmental Officers and managing relationships between multi-disciplinary teams, Biosis consultants understand the business and environmental drivers of their partner as well as the implications of relevant legislation on their projects.

Biosis monitoring enables businesses like Gujarat to make informed decisions about their projects over long periods of time.

Know where your project stands, with Biosis.