Community Update (30/07/2020)
Hello All,
Email update to the Sellicks Community on Southern Quarries (SQ) recent and planned dust management initiatives, with some photos attached.
- As previously communicated, the 500 tonne storage bin for the Secondary Sand Open Stockpile and Enclosure over the Primary Dump Chute and Crusher have been completed. Both these projects have significantly reduced dust generation from these areas. Dump trucks are now loaded with sand by driving underneath the bin and opening the discharge doors, eliminating the need for a front end loader. Dump trucks tipping into the Primary crusher chute are now enclosed and protected from the wind, along with the Primary crusher, containing dust to within the enclosure.
- SQ has also recently received a new 32,000L Water truck to compliment the current 30,000L on-site Water truck. The old 15,000L Water truck can now be retired. Both Water trucks will be in operation around the site wetting down haul roads and stockpiles utilising the recycled water. Recycled water has been used on site since November 2019 and to date we have offset 35,000,000 litres of mains water usage for recycled.
- Community notifications via social media groups, direct email/SMS and website updates are continuing for visible blasting activities. The blasting notifications detail the time of scheduled blasts, the forecast wind conditions and anticipated direction of the dust cloud.
- Southern Quarries’ website had been under maintenance for the last few months, but is now up and running. The EPA also updated their webpage (https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/business_and_industry/industry-updates/southernquarries) on Sellicks Hill Quarry and included updates to the major projects recently completed and other various links, including the current Dust Management Plan (DMP).
- Our next major dust management initiative project, as detailed in our DMP, was to enclose the Tertiary open sand stockpile. SQ met with the EPA recently to seek an extension to enclose the tertiary sand open stockpile. Southern Quarries remains committed to executing this project, but an extension was sought due to the current downturn in the construction-related industry sectors and limited capital funding, resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EPA acknowledged the considerable investment Southern Quarries had made to date to reduce offsite dust impacts, including engagement with the local community, as indicated by the significant reduction in community complaints. The EPA granted an extension to the tertiary sand enclosure action on the conditions that DMP is updated with a revised date for the tertiary open sand stockpile and also interim measures to ensure emissions are controlled in an equivalent manner to the engineered enclosure. SQ will keep the community updated of planned actions and anticipated timeframes for this project.
- SQ’s planned community open day scheduled in April 2020 was postponed due to COVID. We are still committed to planning this event and will look to schedule later in 2020.
This community update will also be posted on our website www.adbriquarriessa.com.au/environment. If any other community members you know would like to be included in ongoing notifications, they can send their details to the email address below. Email privacy is protected by sending blind (Bcc) distribution.
As always, if you have any concerns or complaints with regards to the Quarry operations, please email communityfeedback@southernquarries.com.au.
Thank you
Michael Close
