Boral Cement Limited is proposing to install a passive water treatment system at the pit top to the former underground Berrima Colliery located in Medway. The proposal also includes a pipeline to the Berrima Cement works along the Boral owned rail easement between the two sites.
The proposed system will enable the treatment of naturally mineralised groundwaters to be treated more safely and efficiently above ground before being released into the Wingecarribee River via the exiting mine EPA licensed discharge point. Currently these waters are treated underground and is the primary reason why the underground activities of the mine have been ongoing since the mine ceased extraction in 2014.
Boral has no intention to reopen the mine, with this step an essential step to move to cease underground activities.
The proposal is supported by a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) document, which is an Environmental Impact Assessment that is required to be completed under the existing Environmental Protection Licence 608 that covers the Colliery. The EPA as the determining authority has requested that the REF be made publicly available for interested parties to make any submissions to Boral. Boral will provide all submissions to the EPA to consider in their assessment of the REF.
A copy of the REF can be found below. For any questions or submission please submit via community@boral.com.au titled Berrima Colliery REF.
Submissions for the proposal close on 15 June 2025.
We conduct closure working group (CWG) meetings where we share updates and discuss any questions or concerns. We encourage residents to discuss issues at these meetings so that the working group members may continue to discuss at their forum.
For feedback or to request CWG meeting minutes pre 2022, email community@boral.com.au