Highthorn Surface Mine Site Design Gemma Dickenson 9 February 2015
Why Here? The Northumberland Coalfield • Significant mining history Amble • High quality coal • Both underground deep mining & Broomhill surface mining • Seeking remaining ‘solid’ coal deposits Widdrington • Highthorn represents Widdrington Station one of best Cresswell remaining, high Ellington quality solid coal Lynemouth deposits in UK British Geological Survey
Initial Design • Areas first identified for storage & extraction • Prior to any site investigation • No design work completed, based on historical geological information • Up to 7m tonnes coal • 13 years operational
Initial Feedback – Dec 13 • Land NE of Widdrington Village unpopular • Assessment of topography, quantities & coal resource • Survey work commenced • Resulted in removing land north east of Widdrington Village from project • Work commenced to try to remove all land from north of C116
Detailed Design Begins • Topography • Properties • Trees • Hedges • Wildlife reserves • Watercourses • Roads • Coastline • Need to maximise distances • Create Buffer zones
Detailed Design Begins • Topography • Properties • Trees • Hedges • Wildlife reserves • Watercourses • Roads • Coastline • Need to maximise distances • Create Buffer zones
Scoping Report – Dec 14 • Major site investigation works complete • Unable to remove land North of C116 at submission • Location of coal known • Entry location noted • Compound area suggested • Buffer zones throughout coastal area • Potential storage locations identified • Potential mitigation areas identified
Current Proposals: Phase 1 • Area north of C116 no longer within proposals for any coal extraction activities • Location of commercially available coal known – up to 5 million tonnes • More accurate suggestion of storage areas • Maintenance of suggested access point & compound area • Introduction of further buffer zones and potential ecological enhancement & mitigation areas
Current Proposals: Phase 2
Current Proposals: Phase 3
Current Proposals: Phase 4
Current Proposals: Phase 5
Site Design Progress Initial Design Current Proposals Tonnes Up to 7m tonnes Up to 5m tonnes Length of the site 13 years 8-10 years Land Area Inc land north of C116 No land north of C116 Size of the site 853 ha 400 ha How can we improve on this?
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