A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

Having the right information to make the best technical and social decisions
in closure planning requires the collection, assessment and management of
environmental, social and economic data. It is necessary to continually review of
site characterisation, baseline study information and of the risks and opportunities
of closure. It is important at this step to understand the range of stakeholder
requirements including community expectations for final land use, cultural and
heritage values, government regulation and other legal requirements. Early
identification of data gaps helps guide any research and development programs
needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of unproven rehabilitation strategies.
A data recording and management system will help the closure planning team in
understanding the status of closure issues.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for mining companies to relinquish mine sites and
“walk away” with all obligations for future maintenance and funding discharged. This
is because:
it can take considerable persistence by a company to achieve relinquishment,
particularly if early rehabilitation is inadequate for the task.
the selection of a robust and verifiable process to monitor and
demonstrate completion criteria is crucial for closure.
early establishment of verifiable completion criteria is critical to receiving
acceptance and approval for relinquishment by the regulator.
An excellent case study illustrating these points is the Bottle Creek mine in Western
Australia (see LP Closure p.11). The mine commenced operation in June 1988 but,
due to a limited gold resource, ceased operation in November 1989. Three open-pits
and waste landforms, a plant site, run-of-mine pad and two tailings storage facilities
were established during the operational stage of the project. A request to release the
bond and relinquish the lease was first made in 1996 and eventually finalized in 2001.
Figure 5.11 – Bottle Creek mine before and after rehabilitation
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 145