Find out how Peabody has rehabilitated the Wilkie Creek mine

Peabody is a global leader in mine site rehab (rehabilitation) and sees land rehabilitation as an essential part of the mining process.

Operations have now ceased at Wilkie Creek and crews are continuing to rehabilitate available mined areas. Since 2014, Peabody has rehabilitated 395 ha. Our teams have also undertake successful cattle grazing and Rhodes grass baling demonstration studies with local landholders bringing the total rehabilitation to 577 ha which represents 100% of available land.

Key Facts:

Peabody has progressed rehabilitation of its Wilkie Creek site in Queensland’s Surat Basin following the completion of coal mining in 2013
60% of rehabilitation is now complete
Rehabilitation includes backfilling of open cut voids, re-shaping of dumps and undertaking demolition
The final landform planning process includes paddocks and cattle watering systems to support the end land use of grazing
Extensive community engagement continues to inform the planning for post-mine land use with grazing trials, including more than 50 cattle on a rehabilitated backfilled pit, delivering positive results for neighbouring graziers

Peabody begins with the end in mind

Peabody plans for post-mining land use before we start. Topsoil is stripped and stockpiled prior to mining for later use in rehabilitation. Peabody aims to complete rehabilitation that is safe, stable, self-sustaining and non-polluting. To achieve this, rehabilitation strategies typically involve reshaping the area to the designed and agreed post mine landform and the replacement of stockpiled topsoil. When topsoil spreading is complete, a seed mix suitable for the identified post mine land use is sown into topsoil along with an establishment fertilizer. Once established, the progress of the rehabilitation is monitored to ensure long-term objectives of mine closure are met, with maintenance ongoing through the life of mine and post-closure.

The Rehabilitation Plan takes into consideration the location and prior use of the land. The type of rehabilitation of the mine site is determined in consultation with various interested parties and takes into consideration the location and prior use of the land. This could vary from recreational or pastoral use to the development of woodlands and habitat corridors. Peabody gives careful consideration to the economic benefits of the restored lands to the local community. The company also helps ensure consistency with surrounding land uses and local and regional plans.