Mine Rehabilitation Handbook - Mining and Blasting

• Ensure the re-shaped land is formed so as to be inherently stable,
adequately drained and suitable for the desired long-term land-use.
• Minimise any long-term visual impact by creating landforms which
are compatible with the adjacent landscape.
• Minimise erosion by wind and water both during and following the
process of rehabilitation.
• When mining is complete, remove all facilities and equipment from
the site unless approval has been obtained from the regulatory
authorities and/or affected landholders to do otherwise. There may
be occasions when post mining uses such as tourism or heritage
values require consideration.
• Compacted surfaces should be deep ripped to relieve compaction
unless subsurface conditions dictate otherwise.
• Provided it is consistent with post mining land-use, re-vegetate the
area with plant species that will control erosion, provide vegetative
diversity and will, in time, contribute to a stable and compatible
ecosystem.
• Prevent the introduction of noxious weeds and pests.
• Monitor and manage rehabilitated areas until they are self-sustaining
or an end-point is reached which is satisfactory to the landowner, or
the government instrumentality responsible for the land.
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5 STANDARD REHABILITATION
The Australian minerals industry includes major open-cut and strip
mines, underground long wall and hard rock ore mines, sand and gravel
extraction, dredging operations and gemstone mining. Each mine will
have particular characteristics that will influence the procedures adopted
in the rehabilitation program. These characteristics may be obvious but
critical differences are often only identified by careful investigation. The
proposed post mining land-use will also influence the procedure and the
plant species used for rehabilitation.
This section outlines the basic rehabilitation practices which, with
appropriate modification, will apply to most disturbed areas. Section 6
discusses additional rehabilitation procedures for particular categories
of problem sites.
5.1 Making Safe
After planning, the first step in rehabilitation is to clean up and make the
area to be rehabilitated, safe. This involves the following:
• Removal of infrastructure and unused or unwanted equipment. No
facilities or equipment should remain on site unless with the written
approval of the land owner or relevant authority.
• Removal of rubbish for disposal at approved sites. Particular care is
required with residual toxic or hazardous materials including
contaminated packaging and containers (refer 6.6).
• Removal of all services.
• Removal or burial of concrete slabs, footings, etc.
• Backfilling or securely and permanently covering any shafts, pits or
similar excavations (refer 6.10).
• Restricting or preventing public access by removal or closure of
access roads and tracks.
Be aware of the potential to create safety hazards as a consequence of
rehabilitation. In particular, re-vegetation may create a fire hazard.
Observe statutory regulations and liaise with local fire control
authorities. Prepare a fire management plan for the site.
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