Mangoola Coal - Home - Home · 10021_R02.doc Mangoola Coal Environmental Noise Monitoring, Quarter 1 2010 Reference: 10021_R02.doc ... A3 186B/102 Cnr Bells Lane and Mangoola Road

Mangoola Coal Environmental Noise Monitoring

Quarter 1 2010

Prepared for

Xstrata Mangoola Coal

Global Acoustics Pty Ltd

10021_R02.doc

Mangoola Coal

Environmental Noise Monitoring, Quarter 1 2010

Reference: 10021_R02.doc

Report date: 9 August 2010

Prepared for:

Xstrata Mangoola Coal

PO Box 495

Muswellbrook NSW 2333

Prepared by:


PO Box 115

Thornton NSW 2322

Prepared: Katie Weekes

Environmental Scientist

QA review: Tony Welbourne

Director

Global Acoustics Pty Ltd ~ Environmental noise modelling and impact assessment ~

Sound power testing ~ Noise control advice ~ Noise and vibration monitoring ~ OHS

noise monitoring and advice ~ Expert evidence in Land and Environment and

Compensation Courts ~ Architectural acoustics ~ Blasting assessments and

monitoring ~ Noise management plans (NMP) ~ Sound level meter and noise logger

sales and hire


10021_R02.doc Page i

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Global Acoustics was engaged to conduct a noise survey around Mangoola Coal, a

new open cut coalmine near Wybong in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW.

Xstrata Mangoola Pty Limited obtained a modification to the project approval in

November 2009 (06-0014) to continue open cut mining. Schedule 3, Conditions 3 to

11 of the approval contains the noise requirements.

The purpose of this noise survey is to quantify and describe the acoustic environment

around the site and compare results with limits specified in the consent.

Environmental noise monitoring described in this report was undertaken during the

day period on 19 March 2010; there were 5 monitoring locations.

Attended monitoring was conducted in accordance with the Department of

Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) ‘Industrial Noise Policy’ (INP)

guidelines and Australian Standard AS 1055 ‘Acoustics, Description and

Measurement of Environmental Noise’. The duration of each measurement was 15

minutes.

As shown in Table 4.2, Mangoola Coal complied with the relevant day consent

LAeq(15 minute) noise limits, where applicable, during Quarter 1 2010.



10021_R02.doc

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 1

1.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................1

1.2 MONITORING LOCATIONS ......................................................................1

1.3 TERMINOLOGY ..........................................................................................3

2 PROJECT APPROVAL AND CRITERIA................................................................ 4

2.1 DEVELOPMENT CONSENT.......................................................................4

2.2 EPA LICENCE ..............................................................................................4

2.3 NOISE MONITORING PROGRAM ............................................................4

2.4 PROJECT SPECIFIC CRITERIA .................................................................4

3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 6

3.1 ATTENDED NOISE MONITORING...........................................................6

4 RESULTS ...................................................................................................................... 7

4.1 ATTENDED NOISE MONITORING...........................................................7

5 DISCUSSION................................................................................................................ 9

5.1 NOTED NOISE SOURCES ..........................................................................9

5.1.1 A1, 19 March 2010, Daytime ..............................................................11

5.1.2 A2, 19 March 2010, Daytime ..............................................................12

5.1.3 A3, 19 March 2010, Daytime ..............................................................13

5.1.4 A4, 19 March 2010, Daytime ..............................................................14

5.1.5 A5, 19 March 2010, Daytime ..............................................................15

6 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. 16

6.1 SUMMARY.................................................................................................16

TABLE OF APPENDICES

A: DEVELOPMENT CONSENT

B: CALIBRATION CERTIFICATES


10021_R02.doc Page 1

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

Global Acoustics was engaged to conduct an attended noise survey around Mangoola

Coal (MC) an open cut coalmine near Wybong in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW.

Environmental noise monitoring described in this report was undertaken during the

day period on 19 March 2010 at two locations.

The purpose of the survey is to quantify and describe the acoustic environment around

the site and compare results with specified limits.

1.2 MONITORING LOCATIONS

There were two monitoring locations during this survey as detailed in Table 1.1 and

shown on Figure 1.

Table 1.1 MONITORING LOCATIONS

Descriptor EIS Reference Monitoring Location

A1 174B Mangoola Road

A2 183C Opposite 1711 Denman Road

A3 186B/102 Cnr Bells Lane and Mangoola Road

A4 130 Yarraman Road

A5 241A Cnr Mangoola and Roxburgh Roads



Figure 1 Monitoring Locations



1.3 TERMINOLOGY

Some definitions of terminology, which may be used in this report, are provided in

Table 1.2.

Table 1.2 TERMINOLOGY

Descriptor Definition

LA The A-weighted root mean squared (RMS) noise level at any instant

LA10 The noise level which is exceeded for 10 per cent of the time, which is

approximately the average of the maximum noise levels

LA90 The level exceeded for 90 per cent of the time, which is approximately the

average of the minimum noise levels. The LA90 level is often referred to as

the “background” noise level and is commonly used to determine noise

criteria for assessment purposes

LAeq The average noise energy during a measurement period

Lpk The unweighted peak noise level at any instant

dB(A) Noise level measurement units are decibels (dB). The “A” weighting scale is

used to describe human response to noise

SPL Sound pressure level (SPL), fluctuations in pressure measured as 10 times a

logarithmic scale, the reference pressure being 20 micropascals

SEL Sound exposure level (SEL), the A-weighted noise energy during a

measurement period normalised to one second

ABL Assessment background level (ABL), the 10th percentile background noise

level for a single period (day, evening or night) of a 24 hour monitoring period

RBL Rating background level (RBL), the background noise level for a period (day,

evening or night) determined from ABL data

Hertz (Hz) Cycles per second, the frequency of fluctuations in pressure, sound is usually

a combination of many frequencies together

Day This is the period 7:00am to 6:00pm

Evening This is the period 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Night The period 10:00pm to 7:00am



2 PROJECT APPROVAL AND CRITERIA

A project approval and licence apply to the Mangoola Coal Project.

2.1 DEVELOPMENT CONSENT

Xstrata Mangoola Pty Limited obtained a modification to the project approval in

November 2009 (06-0014) to continue open cut mining. Schedule 3, Conditions 3 to

11 of the approval contains the noise requirements.

The noise sections of the approval are reproduced in Appendix A.

2.2 EPA LICENCE

Mangoola Coal holds Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water

(DECCW) Environment Protection Licence (EPL) No. 12894 for coal mining,

crushing, grinding and separating. Noise requirements are detailed in L6 of the

licence.

The noise sections of the licence are reproduced in Appendix A.

2.3 NOISE MONITORING PROGRAM

The Noise Monitoring Program (NMP) for Mangoola Coal was finalised in

September 2008 and last reviewed in September 2009.

2.4 PROJECT SPECIFIC CRITERIA

As stated in the Environmental Assessment for the Anvil Hill Project, the construction

period for Mangoola Coal is expected to be in the order of 12 months. At the time of

the original assessment, there was no construction criteria stipulated by DECCW for a

construction period of this duration.

Therefore, activities have been assessed against criteria from Table 1 of the project

approval, the limiting of which are the impact assessment criteria as set out in Table

2.1.

Table 2.1 MANGOLA COAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Location EIS Reference Day

LAeq

Evening

LAeq

Night

LAeq

Night

LA1,1min

A1 96A/111 34/35 33/34 38/39 45

A2 104 36 36 38 45

A3 184 37 37 39 45

A4 130/148 39 39 37 45

A51 125A/125B 36/33 35/32 38/37 45

Notes: 1. See explanation below.



The monitoring location at the intersection of Mangoola and Roxburgh Roads (A5) is

at an elevated point with line of sight to Mangoola Coal. The nearest privately-owned

residences are 1.25 kilometres or more to the east of this monitoring location. A

ridgeline is between the residences and the operation, removing line of sight.

Therefore the criterion applied at this site is that for the nearest privately owned

residences (EIS Reference numbers 125A and 125B).

Mangoola Coal land acquisition criteria are set out in Table 2.2.

Table 2.2 MANGOLA COAL LAND ACQUISITION CRITERIA, LAeq dB

Location Day Evening Night

All privately owned land 40 40 40



3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 ATTENDED NOISE MONITORING

Attended monitoring was conducted at five sites in accordance with DECCW

‘Industrial Noise Policy’ (INP) guidelines and Australian Standard AS 1055

‘Acoustics, Description and Measurement of Environmental Noise’. Atmospheric

condition measurement was also undertaken.

The duration of each measurement was 15 minutes. During this survey attended

monitoring was undertaken once at each measurement location during the day period

(0700 to 1800).

Attended monitoring is preferred to the use of noise loggers when determining

compliance with prescribed limits; it allows an accurate determination of the

contribution, if any, to measured noise levels by the source of interest (in this case

Mangoola Coal).

The following equipment was used to measure environmental noise levels:

Table 3.1 ATTENDED NOISE MONITORING EQUIPMENT

Model Serial Number Calibration Due Date

Rion NA-27 sound level analyser 10852471 29/07/2011

Rion NC-74 calibrator 50941314 25/09/2011

Calibration certificates are provided in Appendix B.

Meteorological data was obtained from a Mangoola Coal meteorological station. This

allowed correlation of atmospheric parameters and measured noise levels. Sigma

theta is used to calculate vertical temperature gradient (VTG) in accordance with

procedures detailed in the INP.



4 RESULTS

4.1 ATTENDED NOISE MONITORING

Overall noise levels measured at each location during attended measurement are

provided in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 DAYTIME MEASURED NOISE LEVELS - 19 MARCH 2010

Location Start Date And Time LA1 dB LA10 dB LAeq dB LA90 dB

A1 19/03/2010 10:51 42 37 36 33

A2 19/03/2010 12:43 75 60 62 37

A3 19/03/2010 12:10 49 43 41 35

A4 19/03/2010 09:54 40 34 33 30

A5 19/03/2010 11:22 47 42 40 36

Note: Noise levels in this table are not necessarily the result of activities at Mangoola Coal.

Table 4.2 details LAeq noise levels from Mangoola Coal in the absence of other noise

sources. Criteria are then applied if weather conditions are in accordance with the

project approval. Discussion as to the noise sources responsible for these measured

levels is provided in Section 5 of this report.

Table 4.2 LAeq(15 min) GENERATED BY MANGOOLA COAL - 19 MARCH 2010

Location Date And Time Wind

Speed

(m/s) 7

VTG (o/C per

100m) 7

LAeq

Daytime

Criterion

dB 8

Criterion

Applies?1,5

MC

LAeq

dB 2,3

Exceedance4,6

A1 19/03/2010 10:51 3.6 3.0 34/35 N 32 NA

A2 19/03/2010 12:43 2.9 -1.0 36 Y IA Nil

A3 19/03/2010 12:10 2.7 0.5 37 N NM NA

A4 19/03/2010 09:54 3.6 3.0 39 N IA NA

A5 19/03/2010 11:22 2.8 -1.6 36/33 Y 319 Nil

Notes: 1. Noise emission limits apply for the following meteorological conditions:

• wind speeds of up to 3 m/s at 10 metres above ground level; or

• temperature inversion conditions of up to 3ºC/100m, and wind speeds of up to 2m/s at 10

metres above ground level

2. These are results for Mangoola Coal in the absence of all other noise sources;

3. NM denotes audible but not measurable, IA denotes inaudible;

4. Bolded results in red are those greater than the relevant criterion (if applicable);

5. Y denotes Yes, N denotes No;

6. NA in exceedance column means atmospheric conditions outside conditions specified in project

approval and so criterion is not applicable;

7. Wind speed and sigma theta data sourced from Mangoola Coal meteorological station. Sigma

theta data used to calculate Vertical Temperature Gradient (VTG) in accordance with procedures

detailed in the INP;

8. NA in criterion column means there is no criterion for this location as there is an agreement in

place or is owned by Mangoola Coal; and

9. In order to compare the monitored results with the relevant criterion, 5 dB has been taken off the

level measured at A5. This is a conservative result for the nearest residence to take account of

losses due to distance and intervening topography. See Section 2.4 of this report for further

explanation.



Atmospheric condition data measured during monitoring at each location are shown in

Table 4.3.

Table 4.3 MEASURED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS

Location Date And Time Temperature

degrees C

Wind Speed

m/sec

Wind

Direction

Cloud

Cover (1/8s)

A1 19/03/2010 10:51 26 1.0 270 1

A2 19/03/2010 12:43 32 1.5 310 1

A3 19/03/2010 12:10 28 2.5 260 1

A4 19/03/2010 09:54 27 0.3 10 1

A5 19/03/2010 11:22 28 2.1 265 1

Notes: 1. Wind speed and direction measured at 1.8 metres.



5 DISCUSSION

5.1 NOTED NOISE SOURCES

Table 4.1 and Table 4.2 present data gathered during attended monitoring. These

noise levels are the result of many sounds reaching the sound level meter microphone

during monitoring. Received levels from various noise sources were noted during

attended monitoring and particular attention was paid to the extent of Mangoola

Coal’s contribution, if any, to measured levels. At each receptor location, Mangoola

Coal’s LAeq(15 minute) (in the absence of any other noise) was, where possible,

measured directly, or, determined by frequency analysis.

From these observations summaries have been derived for each location. The

following report sections provide these summaries. Statistical 1/3 octave band

analysis of environmental noise was undertaken, and the charts following in this

section display the frequency ranges for various noise sources at each location for

LA1, LA10, LA90, and LAeq. These figures also provide, graphically, statistical

information for these noise levels.

An example is provided as Figure 2 where it can be seen that frogs and insects are

generating noise at frequencies above 1000 Hz; mining noise is at frequencies less

than 1000 Hz (this is typical). Adding levels at frequencies that relate to mining only

allows separate statistical results to be calculated. This analysis cannot always be

performed if there are significant levels of other noise at the same frequencies as

mining; this can be dogs, cows, or, most commonly, road traffic.

It should be noted that the method of summing statistical values up to a cut-off

frequency can overstate the LA1 result by a small margin but is entirely accurate for

LAeq.


10021_R02.doc Page 10

Figure 2 Sample Graph

Environmental Noise Levels

20 March 2004, 0306 hours

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Tota

l

Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)

TotL1 TotL10 TotLeq TotL90 L1 L10 Leq L90

Measured Noise Levels

LA1 39 dB

LA10 37 dB

LAeq 35 dB

LA90 32 dB

Site Only Noise Levels

LA10 34 dB

LAeq 32 dB

All statistics are 15min

unless noted otherwise

Insects

Frogs

Mine dragline fans, bucket noise, rear

dump truck engine and transmission noise


10021_R02.doc Page 11

5.1.1 A1, 19 March 2010, Daytime

Figure 3 Environmental Noise Levels, A1 – Mangoola Road

Engine noise, scraping/track noise and a road sweeper at Mangoola road works on the

corner of Wybong and Castlerock Roads contributed to the measured LA10, LAeq and

LA90. These noise sources resulted in a Mangoola road works’ only LAeq of 32 dB.

Reverse alarms were also noted. A continuum from Mangoola Coal was audible at

very low levels. Reverse alarms were noted twice.

Birds and breeze in foliage contributed to the measured LA10, LAeq and LA90.

Insects, breeze on the microphone and road traffic tyre noise were also noted during

the measurement.

Environmental Noise Levels At A1 - Mangoola Rd


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Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)



LA1 42 dB

LA10 37 dB

LAeq 36 dB

LA90 33 dB

Road Works' Noise Levels

LAeq 32 dB

Mangoola Onsite Noise

Levels

LAeq < 20 dB



Road construction works on corner of Wybong and Castlerock

Roads audible as engine noise, scraping / track noise and road

sweeperInsects and birds, breeze in grass


10021_R02.doc Page 12


Figure 4 Environmental Noise Levels, A2 – Denman Road

Mangoola was inaudible.

Road traffic tyre noise was responsible for measured levels.

Road traffic engine noise, birds and breeze in foliage were also noted.

Environmental Noise Levels At A2 - Denman Rd


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Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)



LA1 75 dB

LA10 60 dB

LAeq 62 dB

LA90 37 dB

Mangoola Inaudible



BirdsRoad traffic engine noise

Road traffic tyre noise

Distant road traffic tyre noise


10021_R02.doc Page 13


Figure 5 Environmental Noise Levels, A3 – Cnr Bells Lane and Mangoola

Road

Reverse alarms from Mangoola rail construction was audible briefly on three

occasions, but was not measurable.

Breeze in foliage and on the microphone was primarily responsible for measured

levels.

Insects, birds and frogs were also noted at low levels.

Environmental Noise Levels At A3 - Cnr Bells Lane, Mangoola Rd


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Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)



LA1 49 dB

LA10 43 dB

LAeq 41 dB

LA90 35 dB

Mangoola Not Measurable


unless noted otherwiseBreeze on microphone

Breeze in foliage


10021_R02.doc Page 14


Figure 6 Environmental Noise Levels, A4 – Yarraman Road

Mangoola was inaudible.

Insects and birds were primarily responsible for measured levels.

Engine noise from a vehicle idling near the creek and a nearby pump were also noted

at low levels.

Environmental Noise Levels At A4 - Yarraman Rd


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Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)



LA1 40 dB

LA10 34 dB

LAeq 33 dB

LA90 30 dB

Mangoola Inaudible


unless noted otherwiseInsects and birds

Buzzing insects near

microphone


10021_R02.doc Page 15


Figure 7 Environmental Noise Levels, A5 – Cnr Mangoola and Roxburgh

Roads

Engine noise, dozer tracks and scraping noises from Mangoola rail loop construction

were audible and contributed to the measured LA10 and LAeq and, were primarily

responsible for the measured LA90. These noise sources resulted in a Mangoola only

LAeq of 31 dB at the nearest receiver (see Section 2.4 and not 9 to Table 4.2 for further

explanation). Reverse alarms were also noted during the measurement.

Breeze in foliage, insects and birds contributed to the measured LA10 and LAeq.

Environmental Noise Levels At A5 - Cnr Mangoola Rd, Roxburgh Rd


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Frequency (Hz)

dB(A)



LA1 47 dB

LA10 42 dB

LAeq 40 dB

LA90 36 dB

Mangoola Noise Levels

LAeq 36 dB

Mangoola only at nearest

residence

LAeq 31 dB



Mangoola Rail Loop construction engine noise, dozer tracks

and scraping noise

Insects and birds

Breeze in foliage


10021_R02.doc Page 16

6 SUMMARY

6.1 SUMMARY

A noise survey was conducted around Mangoola Coal during the day period of

19 March 2010. The purpose of the survey was to quantify and describe the acoustic

environment around the site and compare the results with development consent

conditions for the operations.

As shown in Table 4.2, Mangoola Coal complied with the relevant day consent

LAeq(15 minute) noise limits, where applicable, during Quarter 1 2010.



10021_R02.doc

Appendix

A: Development Consent


10021_R02.doc Page A.1

NSW Department of Planning Project Approval 06-0014 applies to the Mangoola

Coal operation. The noise section is reproduced below:

A.1 MANGOOLA COAL MINE PROJECT APPROVAL

Conditions 3 and 4 of Schedule 3 of the Mangoola project approval relate to impact

assessment and land acquisition criteria and are reproduced below.

Impact Assessment Criteria



Land Acquisition Criteria



Cumulative Noise Criteria

Conditions 5 and 6 of Schedule 3 of the Mangoola project approval relate to

cumulative noise criteria and are reproduced below.

Traffic Noise Criteria

Condition 7 of Schedule 3 of the Mangoola project approval relates to traffic noise

and is reproduced below.



Additional Noise Mitigation

Conditions 8 and 9 of Schedule 3 of the Mangoola project approval relate to

additional noise mitigation measures and are reproduced below.

Monitoring

Condition 11 of Schedule 3 of the Mangoola Coal project approval relates to

monitoring and is reproduced below.



A.2 MANGOOLA COAL MINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

LICENCE NO. 12894




10021_R02.doc

Appendix

B: Calibration Certificates


10021_R02.doc Page B.1


10021_R02.doc Page B.2

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Mangoola Coal - Home - Home · 10021_R02.doc Mangoola Coal Environmental Noise Monitoring, Quarter 1 2010 Reference: 10021_R02.doc ... A3 186B/102 Cnr Bells Lane and Mangoola Road