Independent assessment of Highthorn geology
Banks Mining appoint two firms to undertake geological investigations at proposed new surface mine
CIVIL engineering company Allied Exploration & Geotechnics Ltd (AEG) have been called in to drill a series of small-diameter boreholes at different locations on the site of Banks Mining’s proposed new surface mine in south-east Northumberland, from which undisturbed samples of material can be removed for analysis.
The results of the geological investigations into the physical make-up of the site will be fed into the surface mine design work that Banks are currently undertaking for the Highthorn project, which is located to the south-east of the village of Widdrington. The drilling work is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Banks recently submitted a scoping report to Northumberland County Council which reflected changes made to their outline ideas for the Highthorn project, in light of their initial discussions with and feedback from the local community.
These changes include the time between the proposed start of operations in 2016 to the completion of restoration being reduced from 13 years to 8–10 years, and the removal of 114ha to the east of Widdrington village from the study area being considered for the scheme.
David Blythe of DAB Geotechnics Ltd, the other specialist firm working on the project, said: ‘We’re well aware of the geology of the site from previous investigations, but by taking undisturbed samples of the shallow clay deposits that form a covering layer and carrying out specialized testing in a laboratory, we shall be able to better inform the scheme design work that Banks are carrying out.’
Banks, who expect to submit a Highthorn planning application later this year, have just begun a series of community workshops to allow ideas from local people to influence the project’s design.
Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at The Banks Group, commented: ‘Work on the design of this scheme is progressing well, and having carried out numerous explorations of the site ourselves, we’ve brought in two north-east firms to independently assess how the geology of the Highthorn site fits together.
‘The information that analysis of their work will provide will allow us to assess how the physical layout of the site might be shaped, and will enable us to design operations in the most appropriate and efficient manner possible.’
