Closing and rehabilitating a mine site
Mine closure is part of the life of a mine (LOM).
It's when the operational stage of a mine is ending (or has ended), and the final decommissioning, remediation and rehabilitation of the site is being carried out.
Mine closure and rehabilitation involve a wide range of drivers, processes and outcomes. They include:
- remediation and preparation of the mine site for agreed post-mining land use
- post-closure monitoring, management and reporting requirements.
For mining sites undertaking progressive remediation and rehabilitation, some areas will continue to host mining activities while post-closure activities are carried out elsewhere on the site.
The end land use influences the criteria used to determine when the operator has successfully rehabilitated and closed the site. That is why mine closure and post-mining final land use is an important part of LOM planning.
When mine completion is reached
Mine completion is reached when a mining operator can demonstrate that:
- the mine site has been remediated and rehabilitated, and
- post-closure monitoring, management and reporting shows the site is safe, stable and non-polluting.
How to close a mining site
You should plan and manage your mining activity to achieve LOM completion.
If you intend to close a mining site or part of a mining site, it must be suitable and safe to use for the agreed post-mining land use.
Consultation about post-mining land use with impacted communities and the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security (DEPWS) is an important part of LOM planning. You should consult with stakeholders at the earliest stages of planning, before seeking any approvals. It should also be an ongoing element of the LOM.
Planning should include progressive remediation and rehabilitation wherever possible. This can occur:
- during mining activities and
- after mining activities have ceased.
You must include planning and costing for mine site closure and rehabilitation as part of environmental (mining) licence applications in line with the Environment Protection Act 2019.
Closure criteria and requirements are assessed and form part of LOM planning and environmental (mining) licensing processes and decisions.
Evaluation criteria
Matters the department will consider when assessing whether a mine site has been successfully rehabilitated include:
- compatibility with the agreed land use after mining completion
- risk the site poses to human health and safety
- risk to livestock and other animals from contaminated water
- land stability
- waste management and rubbish removal
- revegetation or other improvements
- visual impact
- condition of heritage and archaeological sites
- integrity of onsite infrastructure and engineered features.
For leading practice advice on rehabilitating and closing mine sites, go to the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) website.
Give notice of a completed mining activity
You must notify DEPWS within 30 business days of when a mining activity is completed.
This is required under the Environment Protection Act 2019.
Under the Act, an activity is completed:
- For exploration activities – when any rehabilitation, monitoring, management and reporting requirements of the licence are met
- For mining and extractive operations – when any post-closure monitoring, management and reporting requirements of the licence are met.
To notify DEPWS, contact the department.
As part of the notification requirement, you must provide a final report that includes all of the following:
- mining activities undertaken
- environmental impacts associated with the mining activities
- remediation and rehabilitation activities undertaken as part of the mining activity
- post-closure monitoring, management and reporting of the mining site undertaken under the environmental (mining) licence.
You can request for your environmental (mining) licence to be cancelled as part of the notice of completion process.
Return of security
To get your security returned for a completed mining activity, you must provide proof that the mine site has been properly remediated and rehabilitated, and is safe, stable and non-polluting.
DEPWS may audit and carry out compliance checks of submitted notices of completion to ensure the activities were rehabilitated in line with licence requirements.
Read more about security refunds.
Apply for a closure certificate
If your activity is completed and you believe you have met your responsibilities under the Act, you can apply for a closure certificate for part or all of a mining site.
You don't need to have one to be eligible for a refund of a mining security.
To apply for a certificate, contact DEPWS.