Camelback Quarry
Management Plan
June 2015
CONTENTS
Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Section 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
Section 2: Background ......................................................................................................................... 4
Section 3: Financial .............................................................................................................................. 5
Section 4: Performance Measures...................................................................................................... 6
Section 5: Council and Contractor Responsibilities.......................................................................... 6
Section 6: Site Specific Methodology ................................................................................................. 7
Section 9: Quarry Permits and Consents ........................................................................................ 10
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Summary
This plan sets out the history and future plans of Camelback so there is a record of any
major decisions, expenditure, permits and consents.
It identifies the objective of the quarry as well as the methods of monitoring the condition of
the quarry and rock, and determines the annual funding and expenditure needed to retain
the safest and most cost effective plan possible.
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Section 1: Introduction
1.1
Purpose of a Quarry Management Plan
This Quarry Management Plan defines the objective and performance standards of
Camelback Quarry for which the West Coast Regional Council has the ultimate
responsibility.
This Quarry Management Plan:
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Identifies the service level for the quarry
Describes the background of the quarry
Describes the methods used to maintain the service level of the quarry
Complies with the regulatory requirements of the current Health and Safety in
Employment Act/s Regulations thereon and all relevant Permits/Consents.
Section 2: Background
Camelback Quarry is situated in the north-eastern slope of Mt Camelback, approximately 1
km south-west of the Kowhitirangi Township at the junction of Ford Road and McArthur
Road. Mt Camelback is situated in the middle of the Hokitika River flat rising from 100
metres to approximately 1900 metres above mean sea level.
Camelback Quarry has been in operation for 45-50 years on a permit area of 10.749
hectares of which is jointly owned by the Regional Council (8.505Ha) and T & C Elcock
(2.24Ha).
The predominant rock type quarried at Camelback is heavily jointed Limestone and banded
calcareous mudstone with well-defined bedding planes with a dip of 10 degrees.
The quarry is operated for the exclusive production of Armour Grade Protection Rock (AGPR)
ranging from .25 tonne through to rocks with an individual weight of 4.5 tonne plus.
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Section 3: Financial
3.1
Direct and Overhead Costs
The below costs do not include the “stock adjustment” which is applied when product is sold or quarried.
That adjustment reflects the “cost of rock sold” and is not a cost of operating the quarries.
The below costs include direct costs and allocated overhead costs.
Year To
Camelback
Quarry
Specific Cost
30/06/2006
30/06/2007
30/06/2008
30/06/2009
30/06/2010
30/06/2011
30/06/2012
30/06/2013
30/06/2014
Part Year
31/03/2015
$12,532
$8,665
$19,158
$6,345
$37,320
$203,660
$99,356
$58,123
$688,896
$44,251
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Section 4: Performance Measures
The overall performance measure is to operate Camelback Quarry in the safest and
most cost effective manner possible.
The following procedures will be adopted to ensure the adequacy of Safety and
Efficiency.
Annually
Rock production meets specific target(s)
Procedures meet Health and Safety requirements
Performance Measure
Waste to rock ratio – 20% waste 80% rock
Lost time due to injuries/incidents
Random Health and Safety Audits
Section 5: Council and Contractor Responsibilities
To achieve the primary aim of the Regional Council’s Camelback Quarry it is essential
that both the Contractor and Council ensure that all responsibilities under existing Health
and Safety in Employment Law and relevant amended acts and regulations are
recognized and acted upon.
5.1
Contractor Responsibilities
It is expected that the goal of a ‘Zero Harm’ working quarry environment is achievable,
operation expediency over safe work practices in WCRC quarries will not be tolerated
under any circumstances.
It is expected that all contractors operating in WCRC quarries will follow industry
accepted best quarry practices at all times.
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Section 6: Site Specific Methodology
6.1
Drill and Blast Methodology
The West Coast Regional Council have recently invested a considerable sum in
relocating previously inappropriately managed waste material to sites within the quarry
where it will not impinge upon continuing quarry operation or cover potential AGPR
reserves.
The varying width and depth of the bedding planes along with associated jointing means
that sections of the available resource may lead to unavoidable variations in waste
product/AGPR ratios.
The knowledge and experience of the Contractors Quarry Manager will be important in
managing these variations.
Due to the high Calcium Carbonate content “waste” material (i.e. any rock below .25
tonne) may have some residual value for crusher feed stock at the Limeworks Company
currently operating some 300m through the ridge. There is also some limited demand
for crushed product for use on dairy farm races and roading projects. These possibilities
will be discussed with the directors of this company in the near future.
6.2
Faces and Benches
Presently, main bench orientation is east-west with face retreat generally to the south,
although at one point approximately midway along the face any further retreat will need
to be restricted due to the proximity of the quarry boundary.
There is still a very large reserve of rock available on the western aspect of the quarry
and benching from the top down will be required to allow safe extraction of this
resource.
6.3
Future Approximate Face Heights
Face heights in Camelback Quarry will be limited to approximately 7-8m at all times
except where the Contractor can clearly demonstrate long term safe and cost effective
efficiencies by either increasing or reducing these heights.
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6.4
Bunding
Recent changes, both pending and actual to Health and Safety in Employment Laws and
all acts and regulations thereon have made adequate bunding in Quarries mandatory.
This requirement includes all roads, benches, faces and terminal drop-offs where there
is a risk of vehicle rollover or falls.
The construction of bench edge, tip head and access road bunding will utilize
considerable volumes of blast generated waste as a priority over just transporting this
material to designated waste dumps.
WCRC have determined that the height of these bunds shall be a minimum of atleast
2/3 the height of the largest wheel operating in the quarry.
6.5
Waste Dump Management
In the past indiscriminate dumping of waste product has led to benches and faces be
covered by large volumes of waste which eventually required costly relocation within the
quarry footprint.
Waste product should only be handled once in the breakout/loadout cycle and
designated dump sites will be marked out by the WCRC Quarry Manager prior to
commencement of any quarry activity.
At all times waste product should receive as a minimum a track roll as it is being placed
and end dumping should also be avoided wherever possible particularly in the upper
levels of the quarry.
Some of the waste generated during the normal drill/blast cycle will be used to form
bench edge, tip head and access road bunding as well as being utilized to improve haul
road gradients etc.
There may be a possibility to load out waste product directly from the working face for
use by Kowhitirangi Lime Co. from time to time subject to reaching a mutually benefical
arrangement between parties.
6.6
Rock Stockpile Areas
At Camelback Quarry AGPR will generally be stockpiled on the main floor area in
designated areas to be marked out by the WCRC Quarry Manager prior to
commencement of quarry operations.
Although all quarry product ex the face shall be weighed as it is broken out prior to
loadout to stockpile the actual stockpiles shall also be constructed in such a manner that
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facilitates physical measurement of rock volumes in the stockpile, (regular shape,
straight sides, consistent height etc.)
6.7
Hazards and Issues specific to Camelback Quarry
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Fly rock potential
Close proximity to occupied dwelling located opposite quarry gate
Geological considerations
Steep terrain
Risk of rock falls
Risk of rollover/falls
Gradients and uneven floors
Section 8: Quarry Restoration, Rehabilitation and Expenditure Plan
The Restoration/Rehabilitation efforts of the last few years in the Council’s quarries
mean that overall the future requirements have been somewhat reduced at all sites but
in any case this Restore/Rehab expenditure must be viewed as a function of the ongoing
quarries operation. It is therefore important to ensure that each quarry has a dedicated
budget line to maintain a meaningful Restore/Rehab programme into the future.
The level of annual expenditure should remain reasonably constant being more or less in
lock step with annual production volumes unless a large flood event or similar occurs.
In this situation Restoration/Rehabilitation costs will increase in line with any production
surge but based on averages should equate to around $0.15 (15 cents) per tonne of
armour grade rock produced to also provide an additional lump sum at
closedown/decommissioning.
This lump sum will be required to deal with:
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Roading issues
Public access
Long term safety issues
Pit slope and face stabilization
Drainage
Contouring
Landscaping
Land ownership/transfers etc.
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8.1
Expenditure Requirements for Camelback Quarry
As at 1/09/2014 year one restore/rehab programme and expenditure requirements for
Camelback Quarry are as follows:
Seed collection/seedlings (endemic to location) Labour
and nursery costs
Planting including “clump” relocation within quarry,
landscaping etc.
Follow-up/release/replant as necessary
Total first year expenditure
$750
$800
$500
$2050
Thereafter: An annual expenditure of $1025 will be required to carry out the Restore/Rehab at
Camelback Quarry.
At the current rate of extraction the minimum life of Camelback Quarry is expected to be 20
years.
Annual production (without extraordinary weather events) is presently 6000 tonne.
Therefore assume 20 years at 6000t per annum will total = 120000t + 30% waste = 156000t
all up.
Using an average of $0.15 per tonne the provisional sum required for decommissioning at
Camelback Quarry totals: 156000 X $0.15 = $23400 LS required at closedown.
Section 9: Quarry Permits and Consents
9.1
Crown Minerals Permit 50370
Permit Number
Permit Term
Commencement Date
Expiry Date
Area
9.2
50370
40 years
2008
2048
10.749 hectares
West Coast Regional Council Consents Held
Resource consent
Number
99/253
*RC080132/1
Date
Granted
08.03.2000
31.03.2008
Term
9 Years
35 Years
Expiry
date
08.03.2009
31.03.2043
Purpose
Discharge to air
Land use
*Not required due to compliance with Permitted Activity Rule.
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