Collinsville Open Cut host community tree planting day

Media statement
Brisbane, Australia

Glencore’s Collinsville Open Cut mine has joined forces with the local community to put the finishing touches on an ambitious '10,000 Tree' planting project for the site’s rehabilitation areas.

In a joint partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and Green Forests Work, both not-for-profit organisations dedicated to planting trees, the '10,000 Tree' project began in October when volunteers from allied groups Green Forest Work and Unearthed Environmental Services planted 8,500 trees in rehabilitated areas onsite.

Local community members, representatives of the Birriah Traditional Owners, and students from local schools have been invited to add the project’s final flourish by planting the remaining 1,500 trees on 16 November.

Collinsville’s Operations Manager, Dawid Pretorius, said all Glencore sites were committed to progressively returning mined land to sustainable, post-mining uses that include self-sustaining native ecosystems and agricultural uses such as grazing.

“Rehabilitation work at Collinsville is the result of collaboration across all areas of our operation and our people are very proud of their achievements,” Mr Pretorius said.

“We see this as an investment in Collinsville’s future because we want to ensure that post-mining options for the land are consistent with community expectations.

“This ‘10,000 Tree’ project provides an opportunity for the community to learn more about this work by playing an active role in planting out some of the areas of our rehabilitation.”

Unearthed Environmental Services Principal Owner, Dr Nardia Grant, said the '10,000 Tree' project was a collaboration between parties who share the Foundation’s aims of inspiring people to 'plant, nurture and celebrate trees'.

“We’ve been very impressed by the Collinsville team’s rehabilitation work and the scale of what’s already been achieved at the mine,” Dr Grant said.

“Ten thousand trees may represent a small part of the site’s total rehabilitation work, but we feel partnerships like this can help people understand the important role that trees play in improving air and water quality, accelerating carbon sequestration and providing habitat for wildlife.”

Collinsville has completed almost 1,500 hectares of rehabilitation to date (equivalent to 2,400 football fields).

It is one of four Glencore mining operations in the state to achieve government sign-off on progressive rehabilitation, meeting all criteria required by the Department of Environment and Science on 99 hectares of rehabilitation of a previously mined land.

For further information, please contact:

Nathan Ryan
m: +61 487 549 843
e: Nathan Ryan

Notes for editors

About Glencore

Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 responsible-sourced commodities that advance everyday life. The Group's operations comprise around 150 mining and metallurgical sites and oil production assets.

With a strong footprint in over 35 countries in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, Glencore's industrial and marketing activities are supported by a global network of more than 30 marketing offices. Glencore's customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation and oil sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore's companies employ around 135,000 people, including contractors.

Glencore is proud to be a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Council on Mining and Metals. We are an active participant in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Our ambition is to be a net zero total emissions company by 2050.

For more information, visit Glencore's website. 

About Glencore Australia

In Australia, Glencore produces coal, copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, lead, silver and gold from 26 mining operations. We also operate metals processing assets in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including metals smelters, concentrators and refineries.

We are among Australia’s largest producers and marketers of natural resources, connecting Australian resources with industrial customers around the world. Through our diverse portfolio, we responsibly supply the resources that advance everyday life.

We employ 17,690 people in Australia and in 2020 contributed over $13.8 billion to the regional, state and national economies. This included spend of $9.5 billion with 7,890 businesses across the country, as well as $2.1 billion in government tax and royalty payments.

We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace for our people, to respecting the environment, to engaging openly and constructively with the Traditional Owners on whose lands we operate and to bringing value to local communities.

Glencore recognises our responsibility to contribute to the global effort to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Our ambition is to be a net zero total emissions company by 2050. In August 2021 we increased our medium-term emission reduction target to a 50% reduction by 2035 and introduced a new short-term target of a 15% reduction by 2026.

Visit Glencore Australia's website to find out more.

About Glencore's coal business in Australia

Glencore is one of Australia's largest coal producers with 17 operational mines across New South Wales and Queensland.

We provide employment for almost 10,000 Australians and in 2020 managed the production of about 99 million tonnes of thermal and coking coal, predominantly for export.

We have a strong safety and environmental performance and play an active role in the development of low emission coal technology.