A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

Life Cycle
A company needs to examine each step in the life cycle of a product, including those that
are easily overlooked, such as the fate of the product after its useful life. These steps will
typically include the extracting and processing of materials; manufacturing, transportation
and distribution; use, reuse, maintenance; recycling and final disposal.
Liner
A low permeability base comprising compacted clay, and/or a geomembrane or
geosynthetic (clay in a geotextile “sandwich”).
Local provenance
Plants whose native origin is close to that where they are going to be planted (for example
in the same local area).
Low grade ore stockpile
Material that has been mined and stockpiled, with sufficient value to warrant processing,
either when blended with higher-grade rock or after higher-grade ore is exhausted, but
often left as ‘waste’.
Materials stewardship
Materials stewardship overarches the stewardship approach since it applies to resources,
processes and products and, therefore, covers the full life cycle. It describes an integrated
program of actions aimed at ensuring that all materials, processes, goods and/or services
that are produced, consumed and disposed along the value chain are done so in a socially
and environmentally responsible manner.
Moonscaping
A technique using dozer blades to scallop a pattern which helps prevent erosion.
Monte Carlo simulation
A method for iteratively evaluating a deterministic model using sets of random numbers as
inputs. The method is often used when the model is complex, nonlinear, or involves more
than just a couple uncertain parameters.
Native Title
In the 1992 Mabo decision, the High Court of Australia recognised that the Meriam people
of the Torres Strait held native title over part of their traditional lands. The High Court
found that the common law of Australia recognises rights and interests to land held by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under their traditional laws and customs.
Natural analogue
An unmined landform to which a mined landform may be compared to develop sustainable
post-mining landforms.
NAG
Net Acid Generation test, also referred to as “single addition NAG test”. Peroxide is used to
oxidise any sulfides in a sample, then any acid generated during oxidation may be partially
or completely consumed by neutralising components in the sample. Any remaining acidity
is expressed as kg H2SO4 per tonne. A “sequential NAG test” involves a series of NAG
tests on a sample. This may be required if a sample cannot be fully oxidised using the
conventional NAG test.
190 LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY