Mine Rehabilitation Handbook - Mining and Blasting

• levels of noise, dust and vibration;
• solid and liquid waste management;
• visual quality; and
• the management of natural, historical and archaeological sites
of significance.
Management of larger sites can be simplified by classifying the area into
land units, which have different environmental characteristics and
sensitivities and must be managed accordingly.
Examples of land units are:
• gibber plains;
• sand dunes;
• frontal dunes;
• drainage lines;
• salt lakes;
• sand plains; and
• alluvial flood plains, etc.
3.3 Site Plan
Many of the potential adverse impacts of mining operations can be
avoided or reduced by careful siting of the proposed operation. The
physical elements of the site discussed in 3.2 are fixed, as is the location
of the ore body itself. Preparation of a site plan, preferably in the form of
a number of themes within a Geographic Information System (GIS), or a
series of overlays from an air photo or detailed topographic map,
enables the clear identification of the important physical elements of the
site including environmentally sensitive locations. Positioning of site
infrastructure and mining procedures can then be determined to:
• protect access to the ore body and any possible extensions;
• optimise haul distances for ore and overburden;
• avoid impacts on environmentally sensitive locations or land units;
• minimise disturbance beyond the mine excavation and avoid steep
cuts and fills or other extensive earthworks;
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• minimise the noise and visual impacts (including lights) on adjacent
land users;
• develop a site drainage plan; and
• optimise the configuration of the mined areas to accommodate the
proposed post-mining land-use.
In areas where the potential for visual and noise impacts is large,
provision to reduce impacts and remedial works can be incorporated
into the site plan. Some examples of site planning are illustrated in
Figure 3.1 below.
A. Location of Access Roads - DIAGRAMS
(a)
Not Recommended
(b) (c)
Recommended
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