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Mining Environmental Issues

A coal mine fire has been burning for five days in central Queensland. There is only one way to put it out

A Queensland underground coal mine is on fire up to half a kilometre below ground. Remote control technology is helping in an around-the-clock race to seal the mine and avoid further explosions.
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Remote control dozers are helping seal the burning Grosvenor Coal Mine.

Future Made in Australia legislation faces opposition from both the Coalition and the Greens

The Head of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, Warren Pearce says it's crucial The Future Made in Australia legislation is passed. The 23-billion-dollar centrepiece of the May budget has taken its first step to being enacted, being introduced into the lower house today.
ABC News Current
Duration: 5 minutes 10 seconds

Coalition nuclear policy leaves traditional owners of Kakadu uranium mine worried

Northern Territory traditional owners whose land contains one of the world's most valuable untapped deposits of uranium are calling on the NT and federal governments not to grant a mining company a lease extension, as the Coalition's nuclear policy peaks interest in the resource.
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Traditional owner looks over a uranium mine

Pilbara traditional owners call for inquiry into Andrew Forrest's Solomon Hub

After years awaiting compensation, Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation has called for an inquiry into the lucrative Solomon Hub iron ore mine claiming the it operates "below the current standard of industry regulation".
An outback landscape.

'A dramatic change of heart': Miners realise 44,000 tonnes of tyre waste must be properly managed, recyclers say

With nearly half of Australia's mining tyre waste generated in WA's Pilbara region, the focus is turning to how they can be recycled locally.   
A yellow truck on red dirt

Rule-breaching miner's billion-dollar plan raises red flags for farmers

Farmers fear a company that "couldn't do the right thing" when exploring western NSW for rare earth minerals won't be able to manage if its project goes into full production.
A man wearing a hat stands at a gated entrance to a rural property.

Illegal tin mines linked to increase in croc attacks in Indonesia

Indonesia has the highest crocodile attack rate in the world — but it's likely not for the reason you think.
A close up of a crocodile on a mud flat.

opinion:Port Fairy has seen off energy developers before. Jock Serong is part of the community - he shares what it's been like

Communities, like those in Victoria's Port Fairy, are pushing back against seismic blasting that threatened marine life in the Otway basin and surrounding areas.
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A couple look into a community meeting hall

Reactions to gas extraction project near the Twelve Apostles range from 'devastating' to 'necessary'

The Victorian government's announcement of the first new gas extraction project approved in a decade has been met with mixed reactions, with some saying gas is still necessary while others believe "enough damage has been done".
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The Twelve Apostles.

American uranium giant to fund rare earth mine in Victoria

The tiny western Victorian town of Minyip could soon host one of the world's largest rare earth mines after a multi-million dollar funding injection from a US uranium giant.
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Workers stand near survey equipment in a bare paddock.

Rio Tinto says a new way of processing iron ore in steelmaking could change the world. Do its claims stack up?

Rio Tinto says a new way of treating iron ore for steel production could reduce emissions by 95 per cent. So what's the catch?
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A man in bright yellow is dwarfed by three very large trucks in red dirt

Rio Tinto trials technology to reduce emissions in steel manufacture

The mining giant will spend more than $200 million to test a product it claims would almost completely remove carbon dioxide emissions from steelmaking.
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Innovative New Tech, Rio Tinto: Iron ore pours from a machine into a hole in the deck of a ship.
Duration: 1 minute 53 seconds

Opal mining 'ballrooms' carved out beneath Lightning Ridge threaten to collapse roads

"Opal Bill" Kotru has seen many mines give way during the 43 years he has been digging for precious gemstones in the NSW town, but now he fears another collapse will soon take a local road with it.
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A older man without a shirt stands at the side of a road and looks at the camera with a serious face

Former Chevron employee wins government gas advisor role, prompting potential conflict of interest concerns

Former Chevron employee Simon McKirdy is the co-chair of a committee set up to consider appeals against a controversial decision that recommended the approval to expand the Karratha Gas Plant — something environmental groups say is a conflict of interest.
Professor in front of garden bed

WA is set to record its highest-ever gas emissions as net zero looks unlikely, secret report finds

WA is expected to hit a new record for greenhouse gas emissions this year, and has no chance of reaching net zero by 2050 unless it changes tack, a government-commissioned report reveals.
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A dump truck drives along red dirt near a mine

Environmental Defenders Office did not breach $8.2m grant agreement over NT gas case, review finds

The Environmental Defenders Office was criticised over its involvement in a court case that saw Indigenous elders challenge plans to build a gas pipeline between a major gas field and Darwin Harbour.
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A gas platform in the Timor Sea.

Farmers fight for food bowl on edge of Great Barrier Reef amid coal exploration push

It's known for its fresh fruit and veggies, stunning beaches, and proximity to the southern Great Barrier Reef, but soon the Bundaberg region could also be home to a coking coal mine. 
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Rows of macadamia nut trees

Ten years on, how does the legacy of a blockade that changed NSW's gas industry stack up?

In 2014, anti-coal seam gas protesters braced themselves for the arrival of hundreds of police, but an 11th-hour decision changed that. Now, while many celebrate the blockade's anniversary, those on the other side of the fence aren't feeling so festive.  
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A large crowd of people gather around a tall, handmade pillar in a soft grey dawn light.

'Heartbroken, devastated’: Group fighting coal mine extensions dealt major blow

The Federal Court has ruled that Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek does not have to consider the environmental impacts of emissions when approving coal and gas projects.
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Elizabeth McKinnon, Ashleigh Wyles and Hannah White

Gold mine in NSW farming country admits waste is leaking into groundwater

A gold mine near Orange in the New South Wales Central West has confirmed its waste storage facilities are leaking and farmers in the area are seriously concerned about the potential impacts.
An aerial photo of a mine pit

Controversial project to dump carbon dioxide into Great Artesian Basin dealt a blow by Qld premier

Opponents of a controversial plan to store waste carbon dioxide in Australia's biggest underground freshwater system say state government approval will be difficult after the premier labelled the project "not a good idea". 
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water flows out of a pipe attached to a bore pump sitting in a body of water

Adani mine could be 'causing environmental harm', say Queensland government officials

Queensland government officials have given sworn statements saying Adani's mine could be "causing environmental harm" to protected wetlands after CSIRO rejected the miner's groundwater modelling as "not fit for purpose". 
An Aboriginal man in traditional bodypaint kneels in the waters of a spring with reeds in the foreground.

Activist goes from gatecrashing small-town parades to historic Land Court victory and prestigious award

First Nations activist Murrawah Johnson wins the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize after blocking a proposed coal mine on the basis of cultural erosion and human rights breaches. 
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Close up of a laughing woman, with long, curly dark hair and big hoop earrings.

analysis:How BHP used its $60 billion bid for Anglo American to hit back at climate change deniers

BHP's offer for Anglo American last week shouldn't have come as a complete surprise. After all, the Big Australian has a long history of reinvention — and this time the mining giant is betting $60 billion on a renewable energy future.
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Upwards shot of the BHP building in Perth.

Bats have a negative reputation, but do they deserve such a bad rap?

A bat ecologist says negative stereotypes and links to the COVID-19 outbreak have given bats a poor reputation, yet they play an important role in controlling insects, pollinating plants and spreading seeds.
A small orange bat looks directly at the camera