Holcim Quarry - Teven

at a glance Approval: Hard Rock extraction DA 2014/670 Location: 129 Stokers Lane, Teven Website: holcim.com.au

Holcim Teven Quarry is a hard rock quarry located off Stokers Lane Teven, approximately 8km north-west of Ballina. The extractive industry appears as an open cut mine and is situated on a foothill within Teven Valley, bounded by sugar cane fields and macadamia farms to the north and east which grow alongside the flood plains of Maguires Creek and forested hills to the south and west.

Holcim’s application for an extractive industry was approved under DA 2014/670 on 15 July 2015 by the Minister for Planning – (SSD 6422). Historically, the site is reported to have undergone quarrying since the 1940’s. The current approval has permission to extract up to a total of 6.6 million tonnes of hard rock from the site before lapsing in 2045.

Environmental Constraints                          

Holcim quarry Teven is recognised as State significant development and the functions of the appropriate regulatory authority remain with NSW Department of Planning and the NSW EPA. However, as the site is located within the Ballina Shire, Council still has an active role with general monitoring and reporting of environmental matters related to the site. Holcim quarry must not transport more than 500,000 tonnes of product from the site in any calendar year and the approval also allows for the recycling of up to 10,000 tonnes of clean surplus concrete (no demolition) in any calendar year. The approval allows for an average of 73 laden trucks to be dispatched from the site per day. Holcim must operate in accordance with the approved Environmental Management Strategy which includes Noise, Biodiversity, Blast, Transport, Air Quality and Water Management Plans. An Environment Protection License also applies to the site which regulates pollutants and emissions. The regulatory compliance of the site is monitored and reported by an independent environmental audit which is undertaken by a qualified person every three years. Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) 3293 also applies to the site.

Rehabilitation Requirements                        

Holcim is required to prepare a Biodiversity and Rehabilitation Management Plan in consultation with the Biodiversity Conservation Division (BCD) to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE). Holcim is required to rehabilitate the site progressively as soon as reasonably practicable following quarrying disturbance and must implement all reasonable and feasible measures to minimise the total area of exposed surfaces within the site to control dust emissions. Interim stabilisation measures must also be implemented in disturbed areas that are not active but are not ready for final rehabilitation. The final landform is to be integrated with surrounding natural landforms and designed to minimise the visual impacts of the development from surrounding land. The site must also be restored with native, endemic vegetation. A detailed quarry closure plan must be developed approximately three years prior to the cessation of quarrying activities.

Holcim QuarryView looking South

Holcim QuarryQuarry entrance looking North

Holcim QuarryWestern face