Ten years ago, the Post-Mining Alliance in association with the Eden Project published Georgina Pearman's 101 Things to Do with a Hole in the Ground. This publication illustrates the ways in which closed mines have been repurposed in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner. However, there was limited mention of repurposing the associated mine infrastructure. This is understandable given that the focus of the tome was on the 'hole in the ground', and in fact illustrates how much companies prioritise planning for closure of open pits and underground workings, along with other large mine features such as waste rock landforms and tailings storage facilities. Indeed, mining companies commonly propose only to decommission mine support infrastructure and dispose of it onsite or elsewhere. However, repurposing of mine infrastructure can also provide significant value. Recent research has identified numerous ways in which mine infrastructure (such as railway lines and processing plants) and other commodities (such as conveyor belting and vehicle tyres) can be repurposed and provide benefit for the environment and community. It is clear from this research that the way in which mine infrastructure can be re-used or repurposed varies from site to site, and requires consideration of a range of factors including the location and type of infrastructure, landscape ecology and landscape architecture, the regional and local planning context, regulatory frameworks and economics. In some instances, these initiatives go beyond adaptive re-use to become landscape architectural projects that are more about invention than merely corrective measures of rehabilitation or restoration. This paper discusses new ways to use old mine site infrastructure. It presents case studies on repurposing infrastructure from a number of countries, and identifies key success factors and limitations for these projects. The way in which these aspects affect decision-making associated with post-mining use of infrastructure is also discussed. The paper concludes that a long-term vision and a business case (and, in some instances, also legislative change and even a marketing plan) are critical to allow appropriately timed and cost-effective custodial transfer of infrastructure assets.

Closure of mining landscapes is widely discussed within, and investigated by, the mining industry with increasingly innovative alternative uses found for open pits, underground workings, waste rock landforms, tailings storage facilities and water dams. When it comes to industrial and ancillary infrastructure though, many mining companies elect only to decommission and dispose of this infrastructure onsite. However, there is a growing need for efficient, effective and sustainable ways to find alternative purposes for these features, particularly in the face of increasing resource scarcity.The concept of 'adaptive re-use' is not new: it is common in the construction industry where re-use of materials and equipment is considered to be a win-win strategy, in modern communities, where recycling and even upcycling has become second nature, and in urban renewal, where there is a focus on repurposing of heritage buildings and other structures. Further, there is growing support for the 'circular economy' ethos, which favours careful management of resources and intelligent re-use of products and reconsidering the term 'market' more broadly.Many mining companies are now adopting a circular approach in selected areas of their business and while this is mainly focused on active operations, it is considered that there is an opportunity to extend this thinking to mine closure. However, identifying what materials can be 'mined' for re-use or repurposing can be challenging, partly due to obsolescence but also because of tenure restrictions, liability issues, transport costs, legal constraints and other factors. On this basis, the '5R Model' has been developed to facilitate decisionmaking in relation to the alternative uses for industrial and ancillary infrastructure associated with mining and mineral processing operations. This paper outlines the basis of the 5R Model and the way in which this classification system can be used to guide investigations and decision-making for repurposing of industrial and ancillary infrastructure, including blue-sky options. Drawing on case studies on alternative closure scenarios for mining and mineral processing infrastructure and lessons learned from 'urban mining', this paper also discusses potential pathways to achieve these uses and facilitate custodial transfer of physical assets, and ways in which this model can also assist companies meet their waste minimisation, carbon reduction and other targets during closure of their sites.