Glencore's presentation at final Council meeting outlines expansion plans for Glendell mine

Termed the Glendell Continued Operations Project, if approved it would see mining permitted until 2045 and up to 300 extra jobs created. Glendell is currently approved to 2024 and presently supports a workforce of 300 people. He explained the project involves mining to the north of the current operation away from the village of Camberwell and there will still only be one final void but the final landform will be 40 metres higher. A spokesperson from the company says exploration drilling has confirmed the presence of mineable resources in mining tenements held by Glencore immediately to the north of the existing operation.

However, Ravensworth Homestead, a property listed as an item of local historical significance in the Singleton LEP, overlies these mineable resources.

So Glencore is proposing the possible relocation of the Homestead to better facilitate community access and allow continued mining at Glendell. A nine-person Advisory Committee has been engaged to look at relocation options and they met for the first time last week.

 “The first meeting provided context for the committee members,” the spokesperson says.

“We looked at the committee’s purpose and terms of reference, the continued mining operations proposal and the Homestead’s history, before the group inspected the buildings. Feedback on the day suggested the committee sees an opportunity from the relocation to create a valuable community resource that recognises its rich history.

“The committee will reconvene in January to begin the task of developing options for the Homestead’s future.”

The Advisory Committee’s findings will help inform the environmental assessment on the Glendell Continued Operations project, which Glencore is hoping to lodge in late 2018. To access the resource it will also be necessary to re-align Hebden Road and to divert Yorks Creek around the expanded operation.