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4.9 Mining, Quarrying and Mineral Processing

4.9.1 Vibration and Blasting

  1. The measurement of blast noise (air blast) and ground vibration for blasting shall be carried out in accordance with Appendix J of Part 2 of Australian Standard AS 2187.82 - 1993.
  2. The noise created by the use of explosives measured in accordance with Section 5.2 shall not exceed a peak overall sound pressure of 128dB.
  3. All blasting shall be restricted to between 0900 and 1500 hrs Monday to Saturday except where necessary because of safety reasons.
  4. Blasting shall be confined to two occasions per day except where necessary for safety reasons.
  5. When blasting, the limit of particle velocity (peak particle velocity) measured on any foundation of an adjacent occupied building not connected with the site, or suitable location adjacent to the building, shall not exceed 25mm/sec for commercial buildings or 10mm/sec for dwellings and buildings of similar design.
  6. Every blast shall be recorded with particular attention to details of charge weight and delay practice. Monitoring using reliable and appropriate methods representative of all blasts, at varying distances and various sites of different sensitivity shall be carried out to ensure the limits set out in clause (v) above are not exceeded. Blast records and monitoring results shall be made available to the Council on request.

 

4.9.2 “Prospecting” and “Exploration”

 

"Prospecting” and “Exploration” are a permitted activity in the rural zone, and “prospecting” is a permitted activity in the Kaitiaki zone provided that:

  1. earthworks in the rural zone shall not exceed 1000m³;
  2. rehabilitation complies with Rule 5.1.2;
  3. there shall be no use of explosives;
  4. the use of weight dropping devices complies with the vibration limits in Rule 4.9.1 (v);
  5. prospecting shall be carried out as a “minimum impact activity” as defined in the Crown Minerals Act 1991;
  6. in the Kaitiaki zone there shall be no removal of clay, sand, gravel, rock, or mineral substance for geological or geochemical sampling and no disturbance of land or vegetation for geophysical surveying.

 

Failure to comply with any of subsections (i) to (vi) above or with any of the provisions of Part B of this plan, including controls, performance standards shall render:

 

Prospecting: Discretionary in the Rural Zone
Non-complying in the Kaitiaki Zone
Exploration: Discretionary in the Rural Zone
Prohibited in the Kaitiaki Zone

 

Advice Note: See also Section 5, Performance Standards - All Activities, for further general rules related to Mining, Quarrying and Mineral Processing.

 

Objectives/Policies
3.5.2.3 O1, O2 P1, P2, P4

 

Explanation

It is considered that the type of vibration associated with blasting is likely to present different types of effects than that related to continuous activity.



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