Woodsreef Mine

The NSW Department of Public Works contracted Delta Group to complete an industrial scale project for the deconstruction of the derelict Woodsreef Mine, including the full remediation of asbestos contaminated land.

 
The scope of works included:

• Demolition of existing structures – 8 storey mill house, silos and administration building – down to ground level, including blast and mechanical methodologies.
• Identification, management and removal of stockpiled asbestos and hazardous waste materials, including burial of contaminated demolition waste and materials.
• Bulk excavation and construction of 12,000 cubic metre containment cell.
• Key stakeholder consultation and engagement – multi agency State and Local Government Committee, Commonwealth Department of Environment, residents, businesses and land-users.
• Integration of third party assessment studies and plans to address threatened fauna species.
• Cooperation with third party consultancies to undertake assessments and to monitor and manage air and health risks.
• Site remediation.
• Emissions, noise and vibration controls.
• Transport logistics, including traffic management and supervision.
• Site security.

Covering 400 hectares and involving a 75 million tonne waste rock dump, a 25 million tonne tailings dump and open pits with significant volumes of water, the scope and scale of our integrated works programme was complex. In order to satisfy an urgent timeframe we undertook concurrent structural demolition works alongside stringent materials handling and load out requirements to complete the deconstruction 8 weeks ahead of schedule and within budget.

All demolition works were carried out in accordance with Work Health & Safety Act and Environmental Management Plans in consultation with WorkCover NSW and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).  This included regular independent audits, carried out to verify our compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

There were no safety incidents and a comprehensive air monitoring program undertaken by an Independent Licensed Asbestos Assessor for the duration of site works confirmed there no off- site impacts arose from our work.

The derelict buildings and infrastructure were demolished and buried on site within an EPA approved engineered containment cell. Revisions of the size of the cell were completed as a result of greater than forecast volumes of contaminated waste. We are also able to identify some structural steel from within the Mill Building for recycling, following a decontamination process which was verified by the Independent Licensed Asbestos Assessor.