Land

Coal & Allied is a large land owner in the communities where we operate. Environmental and cultural heritage assessments determine which land is suitable for mining activities, which often means the land we mine is just a small portion of the land that we own and manage.

We only use land for a short period of time and we want to ensure that in the future our land can help meet community needs, such as conservation, agriculture and housing. That is why we develop Mine Life Plans which outline the final land use once mining has ceased.

Read more about our Lower Hunter Lands Project.

Our approach

Throughout the life of a mine, we develop a range of environmental plans to manage our impact on the land where we operate. These plans are certified to the IS014001 international standard and provide a framework for undertaking rehabilitation and other land management programmes.

Rehabilitation involves revegetating land that has been mined with a careful selection of plant species that create habitats which improve biodiversity and restore the value of the land for use by future generations. Rehabilitation also reduces erosion by limiting the areas of a mine exposed to wind and water.

Limiting subsidence, controlling weeds and maintaining stream integrity are also key priorities for our land management practices. Each Coal & Allied site develops strategies to address these issues.

Read about Rio Tinto Coal Australia's approach to land.

Results

Read more of our results in the 2006 Sustainable Development Report.