Photo: Tributary of the Bottle Brook by edge of Cinderhill Tar Pits Site.
Apologies: Peter Jones OBE, Dr Keith Gregson, Paul Southby.
Present: Rodney Gilmour, Sally Little, Matt Johnson, Laura Bishop and Harvey Wood. On conference call Lawrence van Kampen-Brooks.
a/ the minutes of the last meeting were passed without comment.
b/ Lawrence outlined progress of his funding strategy of the Trust and progress on this South East Asia/Pacific project. The whole is developing well.
c/ the last quarter’s actions were discussed concentrating on the following topics.
1/ the meeting discussed the issues of the various contacts with the Coal Authority and the Trustees welcomed our present good relationship. The meeting at University of Nottingham at the end of the month (March) will cover a range of potential projects and look to develop further the wrkinng relationship with the Authority.
2/ the next meeting with Gedling Borough Council in April was discussed; Laura Bishop will attend to advise and aid the meeting with regard to mine sourced energy and the economic potentials possible.
3/ Laura told of the University of Nottingham’s lake water heat pump project which failed some little time ago.
4/ Discussions around the A Winning minewater pumping station and the anomalous nature of the aquatic fauna that is present in the Normanton Brook, the receiving water and a tributary of the Alfraton Brook, River Amber catchment that flows into the River Derwent. Sally reported she will have compiled a report shortly using data from the Environment Agency and the results of her sampling carried out last year. The fauna are not appearing to be behaving in the manner that might have been expected of them in saline conditions.
5/ Regarding Bedfordshire landfill sites Sally will put HW in touch with St Mary’s College, UCL regarding work they are carrying out along the River Thames.
6/ minewater energy potential, sourcing and returning used water as at Heerlen in the Netherlands was discussed briefly.
7/ Matt commented on recent media output on microplastics in rivers, the volumes being quoted appear to be misrepresentations of the actual figures. The knowledge that a funding round from NERC is currently on may be the reason for this slight media hysteria encouraged by some academic bodies/institutions (HW comment).
8/ the Trust has completed two short pieces of work regarding Cinderhill Acid Tar Pits for Harworth. The Trust will work with Harworth’s main consultants and the Environment Agency to get the best possible decontamination of the pollutions on site.
d/ other issues came up in discussion;
1/ Red Media have a trial project in Spain which we will help with, plus one in the US where the work will be overseen by the US EPA regarding sulphide spoil drainage. This will require our attention in the field to ensure the mine spoil drainage is correctly drained and treated.
2/ Mike Wood’s project in Derbyshire using the heat from the Derwent Valley Aquiduct has not progressed due to Severn Trent’s attitude to alternative energy schemes. The project is investigating other sources.
3/ The Trust is to work with the Environment Agency to consider a pollution and its source around Crich in Derbyshire.
The next meeting of the Trustees will be at Paul’s offices on Wednesday 4th July 2018 at 10.00