RTI Moranbah North “Overpressure Event 21st February 2021”. Near Identical Twin to Grosvenor May 6th 2020 without a methane explosion propagating onto the Longwall Face.
On the 21st of February the Moranbah North Coal (MNC) Mine was evacuated after
- The mine had an “Over-Pressure” event in the goaf and a cloud of dust and gas was forced out of the goaf onto the 605 LW face
- MNC detected elevated levels of Carbon Monoxide and also Ethylene that exceeded the Spontaneous Combustion TARP levels for workers to remain underground.
This occurred just over 9 months after the Grosvenor Explosion. The first tranche of the Grosvenor had already been held and the Grosvenor Inquiry was due to restart on the 9th of March 2021. The final Directive put in place by the RSHQ Inspectors was not lifted until after the public hearings of the Grosvenor Inquiry were lifted.
I have obtained all 30 RSHQ Inspectors Mine Record Entries until June 30 2021, via RTI late last week.
As the MRE of the 26th of February shows there are 8 separate inertisation units on site, 2 Floxal Units, 3 other Nitrogen Plants and 23 Tomlinson Boilers (2 operating and one being commissioned).
All pumping inert gases into LW605 goaf.
How this event with responding Inspectors who later give evidence at the Grosvenor Inquiry, SIMTARS living on site, external consultants for spontaneous combustion and forensic fire experts did not rate a mention at the Grosvenor Inquiry is another of the hidden wonders of RSHQ information black hole.
If that is not evidence of an uncontrolled spontaneous combustion event, what is?
Why did the RSHQ and in particular the then CIOCM Peter Newman and RSHQ CEO Mark Stone not formally formally request that Resources Minister Scott Stewart to extend the Inquiries Terms of Reference
I can only assume that not once did anyone in upper echelons of RSHQ or Grosvenor ever even think of putting 2 plus 2 together between the events at Grosvenor and Moranbah North 9 months apart.
Otherwise, what deal was secretly agreed to ensure Moranbah North Event was never so much as mentioned by anyone at the Grosvenor Inquiry.
How and why and who was involved in coming to this position?
I have obtained all the RSHQ Mines Inspectors Mine Record Entries (MRE’s) from the 21st of Feb to the 30 of June related to the event via RTI.
There are 30 of them listed in chronologic order further down this post.
I encourage all that are interested to download and print them out so they can read and make notes for themselves.
In the coming days I will go through a few of these MRE’s at a time and pointing out what I consider the most pertinent points. Also and as we go list the further documents that I have applied for under another RTI.
From reading these MRE’s the direct comparisons to the events outlined at the Grosvenor Inquiry are almost identical.
“Over-Pressure event” in the goaf, a cloud of dust and gas forced out onto the Longwall face as a result, suddenly elevated levels of CO and ethylene detected in methane drainage boreholes all beyond evacuation point of the Spontaneous Combustion plan.
The only thing missing was a methane explosion propagating onto the face.
The most disgusting, disturbing and in my view willful negligent thing, is how this event did not rate a mention at the Grosvenor Inquiry.
Anglo Moranbah North is the sister pit of Anglo Grosvenor, the leases are adjacent, they mine the same Goonyella Middle Seam at roughly the same depths.
The use the same “Little Britton Longwall Ventilation Arrangement” or as it was dubbed at the Grosvenor Inquiry a “Back Over Return System”.
It is inspected and the event investigated by some of the same Inspectors who gave evidence in the Second Tranche of the Grosvenor Inquiry.
It occurred under the watch of the same Chief Inspector, CEO of RSHQ, Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health and Resources Minister Scott Stewart, who had already denied a previous unrelated request from the Grosvenor Inquiry to extend its terms of reference.
The same people occupied the senior Corporate Positions with direct oversight at both Grosvenor and Moranbah North Mines.
Likely they even had the same consultants assisting both mines with Spontaneous Combustion.
I also point out that then CIOCM Peter Newman and RSHQ CEO Mark Stone had both previously given evidence at the first Tranche of the Inquiry on August 4th 2020.
While not identified they have SIMTARS and Forensic Fire Experts in attendance at the Moranbah North mine.
How many people get involved in this and not one of them, not one saw fit to say one word about it at the Grosvenor Inquiry.
I will bet anything that the fan pressure curve during the MNC Over-Pressure Event will be exactly the same sort of shape as the ones at Grosvenor.
The only difference will be the amplitude of the over-pressure events due to the quantity and percentage of methane ignited with the local oxygen levels.
If so it would be pretty good evidence that there was a spontaneous combustion event in the goaf that caused a small methane ignition.
You would hope that my good friends at RSHQ would be more than happy to release the fan curves, gas data and all the expert reports just like that to prove me wrong?
That will not happen at all.
They will pretend that they know nothing.
Then they will just put up their normal extended resistance to my next RTI application
- 20210221 MRE
- 20210221 Directive
- 20210224 MRE
- 20210226 MRE
- 20210301 MRE
- 20210309 MRE
- 20210310 MRE
- 20210311 MRE
- 20210315 MRE
- 20210318 MRE
- 20210326 MRE
- 20210414 MRE
- 20210427 MRE
- 20210430 MRE
- 20210505 MRE
- 20210507 MRE
- 20210507 Directive
- 20210508 MRE
- 20210509 MRE
- 20210510 MRE
- 20210511 MRE
- 20210511 Directive
- 20210518 MRE
- 20210518 Directive
- 20210525 MRE
- 20210526 MRE
- 20210602 MRE
- 20210604 MRE
- 20210609 MRE
- 20210610 MRE
25th February 2021
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/business/moranbah-north-mine-in-limbo-after-evacuation/news-story/53ed6cc20adae000c48b8422375918d5
The cause of elevated gas levels which sparked an evacuation at a Central Queensland mine remains unknown, the mining regulator says.
A potential spontaneous heating event in a longwall panel raised the alarm at Anglo American’s Moranbah North Mine overnight Saturday.
“A mines inspector has attended site and discussed with the mine’s management its progress on identifying the cause of the elevated gas levels experienced at the weekend,” the spokeswoman said.
“The suspension of operations remains in place at this time as the mine’s investigations continue.”
5th March 2021
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/business/anglo-american-planning-reentry-to-moranbah-north-mine-in-central-queensland/news-story/92f3f57ed66ca72e00d42ce3ae3e377e
Anglo American metallurgical coal business chief executive Tyler Mitchelson said the company had started briefing its workforce on the investigation and re-entry process.
“Based on our review of the evidence, we do not believe an ignition has occurred, and the most likely cause of the incident was coal heating and a large goaf fall behind the longwall face,” Mr Mitchelson said.
This was a completely different incident to the methane ignition at Grosvenor Mine on May 6 2020.
“Our Moranbah North team immediately took a number of steps to manage the incident, and goaf conditions normalised shortly after the incident occurred.
“Expert technical advice is informing our risk assessment process, which is currently under way with a cross-section of the workforce, and includes a review of measures to prevent a re-occurrence.
“Ultimately our processes worked to keep people safe, but we are always striving to find solutions to detect and address issues before they arise.
“We are currently using proven industry methods to manage spontaneous combustion risk in our mines, and will continue to seek out and assess other methods that may provide a higher level of control.”
30th March 2021
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/business/anglo-americans-reentry-to-evacuated-moranbah-north-mine-in-cq-stalls/news-story/47031f3fdd71641a6c7ab398537a54de
Workers have still not returned underground at a Central Queensland mine after elevated gas levels prompted an evacuation of the site last month.
A potential spontaneous heating event in a longwall panel raised the alarm at Anglo American’s Moranbah North Mine on February 20.
It has now been more than five weeks since workers were underground.
On March 5, Anglo American said it was completing a risk assessment for workers to re-enter the mine, which required the approval of mining regulator Resources Safety and Health Queensland.
In an update late Monday, an RSHQ spokeswoman said the Queensland mines inspectorate’s directive preventing entry to underground remained in place.
“RSHQ understands that Anglo American’s investigation of the event of February 20, which it must complete under mining safety and health legislation, is ongoing,” the spokeswoman said.
“The mines inspectorate met with Moranbah North’s management and technical experts last week and continue to receive updates on the mine’s investigation.”
