Methane High Potential Incident at Grosvenor Mine?

For 2 weeks now I have been trying to get a response from the RSHQ CEO Mark Stone, Chief Inspector Peter Newman and lately Resource Minister Scott Stewart’s Adviser about a methane HPI at Grosvenor Mine.

The HPI was reported to be on the LW104A Maingate Sensor and levels of methane detected are alleged to have reached over 5% (explosive). Ventilation Quantity 60 cubic metres per second.

If as stated this would likely be an Australian Record for methane in the maingate of a longwall face.

I have never heard of such concentrations on a longwall maingate sensor; ever.

For this reason I have not said anything publicly until now and sought comment from the RSHQ to either confirm or deny.

I finally got a reply basically stating that it is none of my business what happens on coal mines, and RSHQ releases periodic public safety alerts.

To get 5% Methane in 60m3/s there has to be 3 cubic metres per second of methane.

Given Grosvenor’s history the only scenario that makes sense is an inrush of methane from the Goonyella Lower seam in the floor.

Grosvenor has a documented history of methane inrushes associate with “floor heave” and historically Grosvenor does not attempt to drain the gas from the Goonyella Lower Seam.

The RSHQ Inspectorate allowed Longwall mining to recommence in LW104A les than 2 weeks earlier. 

The emails are below

 peter.newman@rshq.qld.gov.au; shaun.dobson@rshq.qld.gov.au; mark.stone@rshq.qld.gov.au; “Resources” <Resources@ministerial.qld.gov.au>
Sent: Friday, 4 Mar, 2022 At 6:14 AM
Subject: Grosvenor Mine methane HPI on Longwall

Peter;