Projects
Ensham Mine, Australia
Size: >770 ha (2022-2025)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
In partnership with Idemitsu Australia’s Ensham Resources, Thiess Rehabilitation is delivering mine rehabilitation solutions at Ensham Coal Mine, central Queensland, that create areas for native bushland corridors and cattle grazing across more than 700 hectares of land.
The rehabilitation earthworks align with the project’s Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP) and include final landform development, topsoil spreading and amelioration, and seeding and mulching activities.
This project showcases Thiess Rehabilitation’s excellence in design optimisation and rehabilitation services, including using drone technology for survey and seeding.
Thiess Rehabilitation commenced final landform development in September 2022 and aims to rehabilitate approximately 770 hectares by December 2025.
Muswellbrook Coal Mine Rehabilitation, Australia
Size: 180 ha (2023-2025)
Services: detailed design, develop and deliver scope
Over a two-year contract with Idemitsu Australia’s Muswellbrook Coal Company (MCC), Thiess Rehabilitation is delivering rehabilitation services at the Muswellbrook Coal Mine, in the upper Hunter region of New South Wales.
Thiess Rehabilitation is conducting detailed design and construction of the post-mining landform, creating a combination of native ecosystem and pasture land uses that generate approximately 180 hectares of rehabilitated land across MCC’s open cut mine.
Our second contract with Idemitsu Australia, this work demonstrates the growing strength of our relationship with Idemitsu Australia, and builds on the hard work and solid performance of our team at Ensham Mine.
Given our legacy at Muswellbrook Coal Mine via our founding company, Thiess Brothers, Thiess Rehabilitation is excited to be given the responsibility to deliver value to this site and to the community through the site’s post-mining transition.
Lake Vermont, Australia
Size: >255ha (2011-ongoing)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Lake Vermont’s progressive rehabilitation campaign is returning disturbed land to cattle grazing or native ecosystem land uses. It showcases the latest technology to drive efficient, effective rehabilitation, from semi-autonomous dozer pushing to multispectral UAV mapping and classifying of the health of rehabilitated areas. With Thiess delivering a whole-of-mine service contract, the team leading Thiess Rehabilitation has leveraged synergies across mine planning, operations and rehabilitation, achieving best-practice productivity and consistency. Services include topsoil stripping and stockpiling, profiling, topsoil placement, construction of water management structures, seeding and fertiliser application, and ongoing monitoring of rehabilitation success.
Mount Pleasant Operation, Australia
Size: >100ha (2018-ongoing)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Led by the team heading up Thiess Rehabilitation, Thiess’ rehabilitation outcomes at Mount Pleasant Operation mirror Indigenous local habitat, set within some of the most stringent environmental requirements in New South Wales. The resulting open, grassy woodland, with native grasses, trees and shrubs, incorporates rock piles and tree hollows to provide connected habitats that create wildlife corridors with the surrounding landscape, encouraging the return of local fauna. It has been recognised as industry best practice, including impressive construction quality assurance processes that have been shared with the wider industry. The geo-fluvial, natural landform, including contours, peaks and valleys, looks less engineered and more visually appealing, with better long-term landform stability.
Melak, Indonesia
Size: >1,501ha (2008-ongoing)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Thiess’ work at Melak showcases excellence in progressive rehabilitation. On average, more than 100 hectares are completed each year. Progressive client inspections enable the team to identify potential issues early, minimising rework risk prior to handover. A positive client relationship and proactive engagement support high levels of satisfaction. The team has achieved this despite the challenges of long hauls for topsoil spreading and external impacts such as high rainfall. Their flexible approach to resourcing allows them to adjust to challenges to ultimately meet annual profiling and topsoiling targets. As a result, they regularly complete rehabilitation requirements ahead of budget and, when appropriate, with the space to fast-track works prior to the following year.
MSJ Coal Mine, Indonesia
Size: >256 ha (2018-2023)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Thiess rehabilitated 35.97 hectares of land for Harum Energy’s MSJ Coal Mine in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project team overcame several challenges, including topsoil sourcing and handling requirements, and resourcing challenges. Our team employed several strategies, including: advancing the final area in pit dumps to expedite soil spreading readiness; conducting daily inspections and monitoring to ensure the rehabilitation success; coordinating closely with the client to accelerate plans for rehabilitation in additional areas beyond the initial scope; and actively involving the client in monitoring and quality control at every stage of the rehabilitation process.
Despite these challenges, our team worked relentlessly to meet our client’s target, on time.
Our previous projects
Mt Owen Mine, Australia
Size: >520ha (1996-2021)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Mt Owen showcases best-practice management of environmental impacts due to the mine’s location within a sensitive community environment, adjacent to a state forest. Working closely with our client for more than two decades, our team via Thiess has implemented an industry-leading native forest rehabilitation program to support a mix of native forest, open woodland and pasture. In partnership with the University of Newcastle, research findings have been progressively integrated into the rehabilitation program. The work has effectively delivered vital habitat values, supporting the return of local threatened species, including the spotted-tailed quoll. The results have been recognised internationally as a highly commended ecological project.
Burton Coal Mine, Australia
Size: >400ha (2014-2016)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Over three years, via Thiess, our specialists led the successful completion of this major rehabilitation campaign across a large, complex series of waste dumps. The scope included optimised landform design, profiling, drainage construction and topsoil placement, with exceptional outcomes, delivered within budget, ahead of schedule and to all specifications. Strategies included rigorous quality control processes; detailed materials movement analysis that ensured material was handled once, straight into final position; and significant construction efficiencies through dozer push optimisation with less equipment. The result was an efficient, compliant final surface and significant savings from reduced complex landform construction costs.
Sangatta Coal Mine, Indonesia
Size: >2,571ha (2009-2023)
Services: full design, develop and deliver scope
Our Thiess team in Indonesia, working with our specialists in Australia, has designed a progressive program of annual campaigns for optimised waste dump rehabilitation. Aligned with life-of-mine services, it involves planning and design, material testing and encapsulation, and bulk earthworks. Outstanding results have been achieved while addressing acid mine drainage challenges, using rigorous material management and quality assurance. Innovative rehabilitation design and water management solutions, including using tyres for drainage, ensure the long-term safety and stability of rehabilitated areas in this high rainfall environment. Re-contouring is carefully staged for slope stability and topsoil preparation is designed to increase infiltration and control erosion.