Mine Rehabilitation Handbook - Mining and Blasting

6.8 Roads and Tracks
Planning, design and construction of roads and tracks is important to
their subsequent rehabilitation.
6.8.1 Planning
• Roads and tracks should be incorporated into the site plan (refer to
section 3.3). Those required after the completion of mining should
be identified.
• Plan for safe operations, but avoid unnecessary parallel tracks,
turning circles, bypass points etc.
• In arid areas, or areas where vegetation is sparse, plan to deviate
the road or track to avoid vegetation or landscape features which
assist in reducing the line of sight impact.
• Where possible, plan roads and tracks to conform with the
topography in order to minimise earthworks. Roads and tracks that
avoid water courses, steep side slopes and permanently wet or
boggy areas etc will require less earthworks and be more readily
rehabilitated (refer 6.4).
Not Recommended Recommended
Figure 6.4
6.8.2 Design and Construction
• Avoid “over-designing” tracks; consider the likely extent of their use
and the type of traffic.
• For temporary tracks, avoid using large equipment and, wherever
possible, leave topsoil and rootstock undisturbed.
• In timbered areas, remove and salvage usable timber or allow others
to do so.
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• Balance cut and fill if possible.
• Retain topsoil, stockpile or use for revegetating batters etc.
• Formed roads and tracks readily concentrate runoff - design and
construction must allow for frequent and safe discharge from the
road/track alignment. Provision of properly designed structures is
necessary to dissipate or control runoff and prevent soil erosion
(refer to 5.3.2).
• In flat areas (including arid areas), where transfer of overland flow
across the road/track alignment is important, provide for passage of
runoff onto and from roads and tracks (refer to figure 6.5).
Figure 6.5
• On slopes, divert up-slope drainage and control discharge. Dissipate
drainage from the surface of the track or road by outsloping the
camber, or provide side drains or table drains with protection at
discharge points (refer figure 6.6).
Figure 6.6
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