Nebo Colliery

(1946 – 1993)

(Rev 3.2)

            Opened: 4/11/1946

            Location: Mt Kembla

            Owner: AI&S

            Purchased: New Mine

            Closed: Incorporated into Elouera Colliery, 17^th Dec 1992

1946 - Operations commenced on the 4^th November 1946 in the Wongawilli seam.

1946 – Gas discovered for first time, 02/07/1946, from dyke in face of #4 hdg. (DoMAR 1946)

1946 – Inrush of water from dyke in face of main hdg. No damage, 6 working places temporarily rendered idle, pumps installed and water managed. (DoMAR 1946)

1947 – Jan. Production ~200 tons/day (Rogers, B. 2001 Nebo Colliery - an Archival Record)

1949 -

1950 – Fatality, 27^th April – Herbert Cockell, rigger, slipped from top of stone chute 100’ to ground (DoMAR 1950)

1950 – Fatality, 1^st July – J. L. Moutan, Asst to Manager, Wongawilli Colliery, crushed between a shuttle car and prop. (DoMAR 1950)

1951 – 05/11/1951 Heavy roof movement over advanced workings extending to 30 acres. Machines withdrawn, large volumes of methane gas liberated. Cause attributed to gas pressures in strata immediately above the coal seam and uneven stresses in overlying old workings. Production resumed 26/11/1951 (DoMAR 1951)

1952 – Oct. Semi trackless mining introduced as Anderson Boyes “Dreadnought” coal cutters and Joy 11BU Loaders.

1952 – Fatality, 24^th Sept – P. D. Smith, engineering fitter, struck by delivery end of L400 that was being flitted. (DoMAR1952)

1952 – Fatalities, 18^th Dec – James Gordon Grey, crane driver & John James Herrington, rigger, when derrick crane collapsed at the new coal handling plant construction. (DoMAR 1952)

1953 – August, a proposal to connect the Nebo #3 Seam workings with the old Mt Kembla furnace shaft close to Cordeaux Road is floated. (Rogers, B.)

1954 – January, the proposal to connect with the Mt Kembla furnace shaft is abandoned as the old Mt Kembla mine workings are considered to be a contributing factor in the Nebo #3 Seam roof instability problem. (Rogers, B.)

1954 – October, a decision is made to sink 2 x 6 ft diameter shafts by Calyx drill and fit each with a fan. (Rogers, B.)

1954 – Nebo Calyx Shaft #1 is commenced 26th Nov, 1954 & completed 26^th April, 1955. Surface to roof of #3 Seam (149.50m). (BHPB)

Nebo #2 Calyx Shaft – 14/09/2002

1955 - Nebo Calyx Shaft #2 is commenced 21^st July, 1955 & completed 28^th October 1955. Surface to roof of #3 Seam (148.819m). (BHPB)

Nebo #1 Calyx Shaft and fan – 7/09/2005

Both Nebo Calyx Shafts were steel lined and originally equipped with 69” Hi-Flow “K” Series axial flow fans.

1957 - Shuttle cars introduced

1958 – Fatality, 7^th May – L. Williams, Mechanical Fitter (DoMAR 1958)

1958 – Sep. Roof bolting introduced (Fletcher bolters) (Rogers, B. 2001 Nebo Colliery - an Archival Record)

1960 – Two-shift production adopted with 4 continuous miners to counteract difficult roof conditions. Inbye roads are still deteriorating. (DoMAR 1960)

1960 – No. 3 Shaft is commenced July 1960, by end of year at the Wongawilli seam, 450 ft. Sinking is undertaken by R. G. Cram & Sons (DoMAR 1960)

1961 – No. 3 Shaft equipped with fans and operates as an u/cast ventilation shaft

1970 – Nebo Calyx shafts Nos. 1 & 2 decommissioned

1974, (23/24/12/74) – No. 3 Shaft fans tested. - ~110,000 cfm each. (orig. install = 250,000 cfm)

1979, Feb. – Memo requesting minesite upgrade:-

1. – Request for 3 more Fox DMCs (total would then be 17)
2. – 180 x 10 ton skips in use. Requisition for separate workshop.
3. – Request to relocate and increase the size of the control cabin.
4. – Only a single 2,000 tonne bin for ROM coal. Should consider a second 2,000 tonne bin.
5. – 5 x Hexham feeders in use. 7 years old, request updated feeders.

1980 – A new shaft is commenced at Nebo (DoMAR 1980)

1981 – No. 4 shaft at 170m, due for completion end of year. (DoMAR 1981)

1982 – No. 4 shaft completed, used as d/cast. (DoMAR 1982)

1982 – No. 4 shaft is equipped with twin 450kW centrifugal 270” WZF series Aerex fans.

1984 – November – M/c locations:-

            CM63 – Torres Panel

            CM76 – Forbes Panel

            CM81 – MAC 10

            CM93 – MAC 4

            CM97 – Howe Panel

1985 – 01/10/85 - Stephen David appointed Deputy Manager, Nebo Colliery (formerly Mining Engineer – Projects, Planning and Mine Services). (BHP)

1992 – 17^th Dec, Nebo, Wongawilli and Kemira Collieries are integrated as Elouera Colliery. Wongawilli pit top is established as the pit top for Elouera, Nebo portal becomes “second means of egress” for the mine.

1993 – January, Nebo Colliery ceases production, prompting the demolition of the Bradford breaker building and coal bin at Kemira Valley (Coal News, Issue 94, Oct 1993)

2006 – Nebo Calyx Shafts Nos. 1 & 2 are backfilled, capped and the site rehabilitated. Nebo No. 3 Shaft is downcasting with Nebo No. 4 Shaft upcasting.

2007 – Elouera Colliery (in conjunction with Avondale Colliery) is acquired by Gujarat NRE being renamed NRE Wongawilli Colliery.