Noise Concerns Muffled

Source: Safe to Work

A finalist at the NSW Minerals Council's Community and Environment Excellence Awards, Yancoal's Moolarben coal project has been commended for its noise minimisation program.

Despite operating within compliance levels, the noise reduction project was launched in May in response to community feedback.

The miner teamed up with Komatsu and Duratray to implement a solution for its 218 tonne truck fleet that would help to reduce noise impacts.

The new rubber wall and floor liners on the dump truck body are designed to reduce first pass loading noise.

The additions cost the company more than $2 million.

"The initial trial showed a measurable noise reduction during loading of rocks into the trucks, so the company expanded the trial to a fleet of four trucks," Moolarben Coal general manager, John Blanning said.

"The highly commended award is recognition that Moolarben Coal is setting a new industry bench mark for environmental noise reduction impacts on the community."

Dubbed the " stealth fleet", Blanning has previously said the new trucks would set a "new benchmark" for environmental noise reduction impacts on the community.