Sustainable Development

Major coal mining companies are committed to sustainable development--development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

In Australia, mining companies must follow strict environmental guidelines to ensure compliance with legislative requirements. Environmental policies address such things as land disturbance and pest management, water and waste management, dust and noise pollution and the protection of native fauna and flora.

Because mining is a temporary land use, strict guidelines also apply to rehabilitation of disturbed land with the aim of leaving the land in the same condition or better condition than when mining commenced. Rehabilitation is planned for and carried out over the life of the mine.

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Low Emissions Technology

Technologies are continuously being developed to improve the efficiency of coal, meet environmental challenges and hence increase the ways in which coal can be utilised.
The technologies employed and being developed to meet coal’s environmental challenges are collectively referred to as clean coal technologies. Different technologies are being developed to suit different coal types, different environmental issues and different levels of economic development.
Coal’s technical response to the environmental challenge is ongoing—with three core elements:

• Reducing carbon dioxide emissions with the development of carbon capture and storage
• Improving combustion technologies to increase efficiency and to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions
• Eliminating emissions of pollutants such as particulates, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen.

Through liquefaction gasification coal can also provide low cost, secure alternatives to oil and natural gas for use in electricity generation, transport and domestically.

Coal can also be used to generate hydrogen for completely clean future energy systems.

CSIRO:
http://www.csiro.au

Australian Government:
http://www.environment.gov.au/

Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development:
http://www.ccsd.biz/

ZeroGen Project:
http://www.zerogen.com.au/

World Coal Institute:
http://www.worldcoal.org

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