Identifying industry practice, barriers, and opportunities for mine rehabilitation completion criteria in western Australia

Kragt, Marit; Manero, Ana

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112258

Cited by 14 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Integrating these concepts now not only addresses our updated understanding of ecosystem science and restoration needs, but also speaks to the long term positive impacts of improved closure planning. Indeed, the objective of closure is commonly to achieve safe, stable, non polluting and self sustaining ecosystems capable of supporting an agreed land use (Kragt & Manero, 2021).…”

Section: Practical Steps For Operationalising Nature Positive Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considering natural capital in mining, and its implications for mine closure

Maier,

Finisdore,

Gimber

2023

Proceedings of the International Conference on Mine Closure

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Better incorporation of 'nature positive concepts' into mine closure practices can improve the management of risks and opportunities arising from the sector's impact and dependence on nature, delivering value to companies.Nature positive concepts-the range of efforts from Science Based Target for nature to improved biodiversity monitoring to the implementation of natural climate solutions-help ensure that businesses align with the planetary boundaries. As we approach and cross these boundaries (e.g., 1.5 degrees increase in temperatures, 50-60% of natural ecosystem area) due to excessive emissions of greenhouse gases, unchecked conversion of ecosystems, among other impacts, nature is becoming an increasingly material risk to businesses. Because of the dependence and impact that mining has on nature, nature is especially material to the sector as it drives material risks and opportunities.In response, several efforts have been launched to better integrate these concepts into mining practices. Frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Science Based Target for nature and corporate natural capital accounting are among them. They are complemented by industry specific efforts including TNFD guidelines for mining and numerous cross sector guides. However, none address how nature positive concepts can be directly integrated into mine closure.Ten nature positive concepts are described and placed into the International Council for Mining and Minerals' Integrated Closure Planning framework (ICP). Firms can identify the internal procedure that most closely aligns with each step of the ICP and integrate the respective nature positive concept into it. This is a pragmatic way to operationalise nature positivity in closure, improving the management of nature related risks and opportunities, delivering value to corporations.

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Section: Practical Steps For Operationalising Nature Positive Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considering natural capital in mining, and its implications for mine closure

Maier,

Finisdore,

Gimber

2023

Proceedings of the International Conference on Mine Closure

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“…Transformative progress in mine relinquishment policy is yet to be achieved despite relinquishment being discussed and captured in the literature for over two decades (Finucane-Woodman 2017). This is not due to a single cause, rather there are multiple factors, including uncertainty surrounding closure criteria acceptance, inconsistent expectations between regulatory agencies, fluctuating metal prices, and shifting corporate investment strategies; however, the lack of relinquishment policy remains a major impediment (Butler & Bentel 2011;Kragt & Manero 2021).…”

Section: Barriers To Relinquishmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The absence of a clear relinquishment policy pathway alone is not sufficient reason for delaying planning for the transition of rehabilitated mined land. Accountability for closure planning and postmining land use options ultimately rests with mining company decision-makers and external forces (shareholders and social license pressure) and internal drivers (rehabilitation and closure standards and targets) have created positive pressure on mining companies, even when regulatory requirements facilitating rehabilitation and relinquishment are lacking (Kragt & Manero 2021).…”

Section: Barriers To Relinquishmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rehabilitation and mine closure policies creating a pathway to relinquishment: an Australian perspective

Tiemann

2022

Restoration Ecology

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Mine closure practices have continued to improve over the last few decades; however, across the industry rehabilitation outcomes continue to fall short of community expectations. While examples of successful rehabilitation exist, there are still limited examples of mines closing, relinquishing, and transitioning to another land use. Barriers to relinquishment such as residual risk, land transfer liability, and limited next land use options are compounded by the lack of legislated mine relinquishment policy. Broader mine closure policy has evolved significantly over the last few decades in Australia, with recent changes in some states enhancing mandates requiring progressive rehabilitation and financial assurance mechanisms in an effort to continue to improve mine closure outcomes. Government authorities with legislative powers to report and influence rehabilitation activities in Queensland and Victoria are also considered a positive mine closure policy direction. Despite these recent legislative developments there is still no multi-agency regulatory policy framework integrating mine closure and relinquishment in any Australian jurisdiction. This article explores how recent mine closure policy changes in Australia could be used by policy makers to enable relinquishment in the future and provides recommendations for an integrated multi-agency relinquishment policy framework.

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“…Mining, especially coal mining, is a critical factor contributing to land degradation globally. This occurrence is widespread in developed countries including the United States [2], Poland [3,4], Australia [5], the Czech Republic [6], and Germany [7], as well as in emerging economies such as China [8], India [9], Ukraine [10], Turkey [11], and Indonesia [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Mining and Reclamation Practices Enhance Sustainable Land Use: A Case Study in Huainan Coalfield, China

Feng,

Hu,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Land

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In the coal-grain composite area (CGCA) of eastern China with a high groundwater table (HGT), underground coal mining subsidence has caused extensive submergence of farmland, posing a significant threat to regional food security. Currently, land reclamation techniques in mining subsidence areas primarily focus on post-mining reclamation (PMR) of stable subsidence land with a low reclamation rate. This study investigated the application of concurrent mining and reclamation (CMR) technology for unstable subsidence land in a representative HGT mining area, namely the Guqiao Coal Mine in the Huainan Coalfield. Firstly, mining subsidence prediction and geographic information technology were employed to simulate the spatio-temporal evolution of dynamic mining subsidence, taking into consideration the mining plan. Subsequently, phased reclamation parameters were quantitatively designed by integrating the dynamic mining subsidence and surface reclamation measures. Lastly, scenario simulations were conducted to discuss the effectiveness of CMR in comparison with non-reclamation (NR) and PMR. Additionally, reclamation and ecological restoration strategies for coal mining subsidence areas with comprehensive governance modes were proposed. The findings indicated that mining activities have led to a reduction in both the quantity and quality of original farmland, with 70% of the farmland submerged and rendered uncultivable. In contrast to PMR, which achieved a reclamation rate of 29%, CMR can significantly increase the farmland reclamation rate to 69% while also prolonging the service life of farmland. This study provides theoretical support and technical references for promoting sustainable mining practices, protecting farmland, and facilitating the high-quality development of coal resource-based cities.

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Identifying industry practice, barriers, and opportunities for mine rehabilitation completion criteria in western Australia

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Considering natural capital in mining, and its implications for mine closure

Considering natural capital in mining, and its implications for mine closure

Rehabilitation and mine closure policies creating a pathway to relinquishment: an Australian perspective

Integrated Mining and Reclamation Practices Enhance Sustainable Land Use: A Case Study in Huainan Coalfield, China

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