Key concerns with Ulan Mod 8 mine expansion:

  • Extends Coal Mining:
    • Seeks to extend thermal coal mining for a further six years (to 2041), extracting an additional 43 million tonnes of coal
    • Minimises cumulative impacts of coal mining that straddles the 
Great-Dividing-Range affecting two major catchments 
Murray-Darling Basin & Hunter River
  • Climate Impact:
    • Would add 105 Mt CO2-e of Scope 3 emissions, an additional 45% on currently approved operations (including Modification 6)
    • The company confirms this figure but uses planning loopholes to exclude Scope 3 emissions from its assessment. On 7 October 2026, the High Court ruled 3–2 (Mount Pleasant case) that NSW planning authorities must consider Scope 3 emissions from overseas burning of coal and consider conditions to minimise them
  • Water & Groundwater Damage:
    • Reduces base flows to Talbragar River, threatening Macquarie Marshes (Ramsar-listed wetland) and Goulburn-Hunter catchment
    • Will export over 15,000 tonne salt loads to the Goulburn and Hunter River system by extending Mine water discharge six years
    • The company has withdrawn the proposed 132ha tailings dam at the river edge, which the EPA had flagged for seepage risk to the Goulburn River. The stated reason is capacity in existing tailings dams, which continue to operate
  • Biodiversity Loss:
    • The original proposal included clearing of up to 101 ha of native vegetation, including 32 ha of Box Gum Woodland CEEC. With the tailings dam withdrawn, Box Gum impacts fall to 2.43 ha and footprint disturbance falls to about 48 ha
  • Threatened Species:
    • It will affect habitats of endangered species, including the Large-Eared Pied Bat and Eastern Cave Bat
    • Direct impacts on critically endangered Regent Honeyeater (habitat in Mudgee-Wollar Key Biodiversity Area)
    • Risks to Koala, Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby
  • Cultural Heritage Risk:
    • Project is on Wiradjuri Country subject to a Native Title Claim and will impact 71 known Aboriginal sites
    • The area holds cultural significance for the Wiradjuri people
  • This is a flawed approval process that should be assessed as a New Project – not a Modification, that removes scrutiny by the Independent Expert Panel for Mining

Glencore’s Ulan West Modification 8

The Response to Submissions for Ulan West Modification 8 is now live on the planning page. Exploration in areas EL 8687 and EL 9363 has been assessed as part of the Ulan West Continuation Project, which involves seven new underground longwall panels extending westward. The project will extract approximately 43 million tonnes of additional coal, with operations continuing until 2041.

Glencore has withdrawn its proposed 132 ha tailings dam at the river edge, after the EPA flagged seepage risk to the Goulburn River. Its stated reason is capacity in existing tailings dams. The Response to Submissions says the dam is "no longer proposed" as part of the current modification, but some passages leave room for a future application, so MDEG will be watching for any new tailings proposal at this site. The withdrawal is a real win, but the project still carries significant potential impacts on water resources, biodiversity, Aboriginal cultural heritage, and the local community. Many small farms and properties in the area depend on springs and a high water table, which are already under pressure from groundwater drawdown due to ongoing Ulan Mine operations.

The justification for this expansion is very poor. Although Ulan Mine has approval to extract up to 20 million tonnes of coal annually until 2035, it only managed to extract 9.29 million tonnes in 2024. The promised public benefits, such as royalties and economic contributions, are not being met, while the environmental, social, and cultural costs continue to escalate.

This project will:

  • Add 105 Mt CO2-e of Scope 3 emissions, an additional 45% on currently approved operations. Glencore confirms this figure but uses planning loopholes to exclude these emissions from its assessment (On 7 October 2026, the High Court ruled 3–2 (Mount Pleasant case) that NSW planning authorities must consider Scope 3 emissions from overseas burning of coal and consider conditions to minimise them)
  • Impact the Murray–Darling Basin, the backbone of Australia's agriculture industry
  • With the removal of the tailings dam, will impact 59 ha including 47.8 ha of vegetation clearing
  • Undermine 6.5km of rugged sandstone escarpment
  • Create cumulative impacts on the Talbragar and Goulburn Rivers through groundwater and surface water interception, including over 15,000 tonne salt loads exported to the Goulburn and Hunter River system
  • Be assessed as a new project, not a modification, which removes scrutiny by the Independent Expert Panel for Mining

Figure A – This shows an enlarged section of the now withdrawn tailings dam. The background is an out-of-date aerial map that misrepresents the current mine layout.

Agency Advice:

Government agencies identified significant gaps in the expansion assessment, consistent with community submissions. Glencore's RtS has addressed some of these, but several concerns remain.

1. Water Assessment:

NSW DCCEEW Water Group has reviewed the Modification Report and has significant concerns regarding risks to water sources and dependent ecosystems. This is due to:

  • Connective fracturing to surface and enhanced aquifer stream connectivity
  • Drawdown impacts on groundwater dependent ecosystems and water users, and
  • The potential for long-term water quality impacts to watercourses

The company disputes parts of this advice and has committed only to reviewing its mine plan for a buffer along the Central Tributary of Cockabutta Creek. DCCEEW's recommended 40 m buffer has not been adopted.

2. EPA Assessment:

The EPA said the EIS does not provide the information needed to complete the assessment, including:

  • Tailings storage facility details, and an alternative location to avoid seepage pathways to the Goulburn River alluvium. The company has since withdrawn the proposed tailings dam
  • A review and update of the greenhouse gas emissions estimates. The company has prepared a Revised GHG Assessment, but its response does not accept all of the EPA's points, such as the assessment boundary
  • Sufficient detail, including assumptions, methodologies and input data, to enable replication of the estimates

3. Biodiversity Assessment:

Conservation Programs, Heritage and Regulation Group (CPHR) has reviewed the Modification Report and Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) and considers that:

  • The BDAR is likely to underestimate the biodiversity impacts of the proposed modification, and
  • The modificaiton is therefore not compliant with the Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM)
  • The assessment of prescribed and indirect impacts associated with subsidence requires further review, and
  • Evidence stated in the BDAR & CPHR does not support the credit calculation for subsidence impacts on threatened micro bat habitat

The company has amended the BDAR and updated its credit obligations, but has not adopted CPHR's recommended method.
Removing the tailings dam also reduces the residual direct impact on Box Gum Woodland from 31.77 ha to 2.43 ha.

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