Issue No. 4 June 2011

Linwood Quarrycommunity newsletter

Key Linwood Quarry PersonneL

For further information or to make an enquiry about Linwood Quarry:For enquiries about the Linwood Quarry operations including blasting and dust issues, please contact Karen Whitney on: 8425 0419.

To raise issues or concerns about Linwood Quarry operations with the Joint Working Group, who meet four times a year (the next meeting is on Wednesday 17th August 2011) to discuss resident issues with Boral representatives, please contact:

Ed Benesh at beneshe@adam.com.au (Hallett Cove residents)

Fran Southern at fsouthern@souterns.org (Marino residents) You can also visit the Linwood Quarry website at www.boral.com.au/linwood for periodic information updates and minutes of the quarterly Joint Working Group meetings

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what’s haPPening at Linwood Quarry?“In mid-May Boral met with the Joint Working Group as we do on a regular basis to discuss a number of issues around the operation of the Linwood Quarry. At this meeting residents presented us with a report arising from a recent resident’s survey that they conducted in Hallett Cove and Marino. In the report they presented, a number of questions were asked and I have undertaken to respond to the Joint Working Group as soon as possible.

The two main concerns that were raised by residents in the survey were vibration from blasting and the issue of dust. We take these concerns seriously and will continue to work to minimise any impact that our operations may have on the local community.

In the last newsletter I outlined some of the background to the blasting standards and what they mean and how the blasts compare with these standards. In summary our blasting noise and vibration results are well below the statutory limits and have been so in all instances for a number of years. However, the vibration readings from blasting are still a concern with residents (particularly south of the quarry). In the longer term Boral is looking to move the focus of its quarrying efforts to the east which will reduce these concerns and in the meantime we will continue to endeavour to further reduce these vibration readings.

Dust is an issue on which we are currently focussing our attention. We have recently appointed a consultant to assist us in developing a more comprehensive dust monitoring plan. Through a dust monitoring program, we hope to be able to identify any sources of dust arising from the quarry and also sources of dust that originate from the general environment. We will use the results of the dust monitoring program to focus on how we might better minimise any dust generation that arises from the quarry. In the meantime we are continuing to

use our sprays, water cart and dust extraction system to minimise dust generation from the quarry operation. One example of what we are doing to address dust, is shifting compounds and stockpiles to reduce the dust generation in areas close to Marino residents.

In keeping with our desire to have an educational aspect to the Newsletter, we have included a section on the blasting results and dust monitoring program.”

Tony WardRegional Manager - Quarries SA

This edition featuresBlasting results for the 6 months period from November 2010 – May 2011

Dust Monitoring Program

Rehabilitation Program Update

Linwood Quarry Personnel

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rehabiLitation Program uPdate

As has been the case in the past few years we have continued to shape part of the overburden and hydro-mulch that area again this year. Tree growth from past years is continuing and over time will cover the area.

Picture: Looking South from the Overburden Mound with new trees growing in the foreground

Picture: Area recently shaped and hydro-mulched in 2011 with established area and trees in the background

Tony WardRegional Manager, Quarries SA

Tony joined Quarry Industries in 1981 and spent 9 years in Western Australia before returning to Adelaide in late 1989. He has held various roles in Boral including State Manager of the Boral’s Pre-mix Concrete Business, Technical Manager and he is currently the Regional Manager, Quarries in South Australia. Working with the local community on issues concerning the operation of the Linwood Quarry is very much part of Tony’s role.

Rodney Kazem Linwood Quarry Manager

Rodney has a Bachelor Degree in Engineering and has been a Boral employee since 2007. Rodney originally started his career with Boral as the Site Engineer and went on to manage the drilling and blasting, and loading and hauling teams for SA Quarries. In August 2010, Rodney was appointed as Quarry Manager for Linwood Quarry.

Vince Nigro Linwood Quarry Assistant Manager Vince comes from an earthmoving background, and started with Boral as a contractor at the Murray Bridge quarry 11 years ago. With a Certificate IV in Occupational Health, Safety & Welfare and a Diploma in the Extractive Industries, Vince has a focus on creating a proactive and safe work environment at Linwood Quarry.

Above: The New 120t Hitachi Excavator loading a 50t Dump Truck

bLasting resuLts

Top right:

Maximum Recorded Air Blast Overpressure Results

Right:

Maximum Recorded Vibration Results

bLasting ComParisonsThe table below shows a brief comparison of blasting results from the corresponding period from the previous year.

PeriodNumber of

blasts

Number of blasts wth vibration levels above

4.0mm/sec

Number of blasts with vibration levels above

3.0mm/sec

Average reading

(mm/sec)July 2009 - Mid May 2010 57 7 18 2.56July 2010 to Mid-May 2011 42 1 9 2.27% Change -26% -86% -50% -11%

The results summarised above show the following improvements in 2010/11 compared with the corresponding period from July 2009 to May 2010.

The number of blasts have been reduced by 26%The number of blasts with vibration levels above 4.0mm/sec has been reduced by 86%.The number of blasts above 3.0mm/sec has been reduced by 50% and,The average vibration level has been reduced by 11%

These are significant improvements and are a result of a concerted effort to reduce the impact of the blasting in response to the concerns raised by residents. All of the blasts are below the statutory limits and in the current year 78% of the maximum vibration levels recorded were below the nominal Boral target of 3.0mm/sec recorded at our boundary.

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dust monitoringBoral recognises that there have been a number of concerns raised in respect of dust generation at the quarry by adjacent residents.

By way of explanation, dust is a general name for minute, solid particles with diameters less than 50 micrometres. By comparison the finest beach sands are in the order of 90 micrometres (90 thousandths of a metre). Dust is not one particular substance, but is a classification based on size rather than chemical properties and within Adelaide which has a dry and dusty climate there are many sources of dust.

Reference is often made to the PM10 component of dust and also the PM2.5 component within the broad category of dust reference. Under the National environmental protection measures for ambient air quality, Australian Governments have set a national ambient air quality standard for PM10 of 50 micrograms per cubic metre in outdoor air averages over a 24 hour period. Work is continuing on the limit for PM2.5.

dustraK monitoringBoral also undertakes dynamic testing using two Dustrak monitors, one to the north-west of the quarry and one to the south of the quarry. The Dustrak monitors are indicative only measuring devices for what is referred to as

In summary the results are generally complying with the appropriate limits but as discussed before we are seeking expert advice to assist us in developing an improved monitoring program to ultimately better understand any dust issues arising from the quarry operations and manage these to reduce the impact on our neighbours.

the PM10 component of dust and not for any compliance purposes. However, they do give a good indication of the finer dust levels. A graph of the average 24 hour dust readings obtained from the north western monitor is shown in the table to the right. The limit is 50µm/m3 over a 24 hour period.

Boral measures dust levels within the boundaries of the Linwood Quarry. There are a number of static monitors that collect all dust deposits and are analysised on a monthly basis in accordance with the Australian standard. The shortcoming of this method is that it measures dust from all sources and it is not possible to distinguish between internal and external sources of dust. Nevertheless, it captures all dust deposited and the results are shown in the table to the right for the period June 2010 to March 2011.

Outlined on the right are two graphs showing the air blast noise readings from the quarry and the vibration recordings for the past 6 month’s period.

The red lines on both graphs show the statutory limits to which Boral should not exceed. As you can see from these graphs, Boral’s blasts are below the set limits.