By Guy Boggs, CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME)
Decades ago, the concept of mine closure – the process of planned decommissioning and rehabilitation of a disturbed site – expanded the mining lifecycle.
This expansion was in response to environmental legacies left by sites previously considered to be effectively remediated and others that had been abandoned by poor operators.
Much time, investment and expertise has deepened understanding of the environmental, technical and other challenges of mine closure since then.
Driving much of this work was the mindset that returning land to its prior state should be the goal. Yet, while there is a growing catalogue of instances of land restored to native vegetation or for pastoral or other agriculture use, there are still too few examples of sites being relinquished.
Recognition of the social, economic, environmental and cultural complexity of mine closure and post-mine transitions is increasing alongside costs associated with delivering commitments. Many companies have had to revise upwards publicly disclosed closure liabilities.
This is occurring at the same time as regions across Australia – and globally – are preparing for or undergoing structural transformations as mines end production. It’s also important to remember the fundamental truth that all mines will eventually close.
It’s time to shift focus
With almost 240 mines in Australia expected to close by 2040 – about ten per cent of all current mines – the time is now to change the industry’s approach.
Importantly, there is increasing recognition of the need to do so. And, at the core of this, is recognition to shift focus from what is being transitioned out of – mining – to what is being transitioned into.
Changing the frame can help put the collective focus on how value is optimised and can be delivered through closure phases of mining and positions all stakeholders for their post-mine future.
Capitalising on a growing opportunity
Changing the frame can also help see the opportunities within mine closure and transitions, despite the challenges.
In 2023, CRC TiME partnered with CSIRO on the Enabling mine closure and transitions: Opportunities for Australian industry report – the first exploration of the market in mine closure technology, services and equipment for local, Indigenous and Australian enterprises.
Landmark analysis found expenditure on mine rehabilitation and closure activities could exceed $4 billion each year to 2040.
This alone sets out a compelling case for coordinated action to turn the domestic challenge into local and global opportunities.
As the report notes, this $4 billion expenditure represents a demand for equipment, technology and service solutions that optimise mine closure and transitions to both reduce closure costs and create better environmental and social outcomes.
Waste reduction and resource recovery
Recovery of resources in mine and tailings is gaining increasing attention. CRC TiME’s mine closures industry report noted the business opportunity in solutions that enable efficient and precise mineral extraction and processing to reduce the volume of waste generated during mining production and reduce the associated waste management liabilities at closure.
This is being seen in development and deployment of novel low-impact and precision mining technologies. For example, EnviroCopper is undertaking pilot-scale projects to extract copper from legacy copper mines in South Australia.
Solutions are also needed to re-use mined waste rock piles for use on mine sites or in other industries, reducing waste volume managed during mine closure processes. For instance, waste rock and tailings are commonly co-disposed to backfill mining voids with physically stable mixtures, where economically feasible. Or construction materials for local infrastructure can be produced via circular economy principles.
Developing technologies to characterise and recover critical and strategic minerals resources from mining waste, potentially offsetting the costs of mine rehabilitation activities, is another growing field. Australia’s Mine Waste Atlas, hosted by Geoscience Australia, presents a world first pre-competitive data set to support project development.
Repurposing and transitioning for post-mine use
The mining estate covers disturbed and non-disturbed land and has direct and indirect relationships with many regional communities across Australia. The mined landscape is now being viewed through a lens of value and how the investment being made can position assets for future use.
CRC TiME’s foundational study on post-mining land uses across Australia and global case studies, featured in the recently released book 102 things to do with a hole in the ground, highlighted the breadth of novel uses being found for mining features, ranging from tourism opportunities to hosting renewable energy projects or even internationally significant dark matter research facilities.
A values-based shift to nature, driven by nature positive and decarbonisation commitments being made by different sectors and investment community is also leading to a relook at land under mining stewardship. This raises questions on how and where investment is best directed to optimise natural capital value.
Partnerships and governance structures that bring post-mine stakeholders into decision-making processes as early as possible often lead to novel solutions being progressed and are critical to a valued and accepted post-mine transition. Developing new solutions can enable effective engagement, co-design, and mutually beneficial partnerships to improve social performance, reduce social and governance risks and optimise outcomes. These include tools for inclusive communication, facilitation of complex stakeholder engagements and data management solutions.
Fostering Traditional Owner opportunities
The creation and continuation of business and employment opportunities for First Nations and regional communities delivers long-term benefits. Traditional knowledge, stewardship practices and deep connection to Country are invaluable cultural assets to protect, nurture and actively support.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and businesses can economically benefit in the emerging industry of sustainable seed collection services for revegetation and rehabilitation. Training a new workforce in seed supply services is already on its way, with examples like the Gelganyem Seed Project, the collaboration within the Midwest Employment and Economic Development Aboriginal Corporation, Kakadu Native Plants rehabilitating the Ranger project, and Rio Tinto’s Weipa bauxite mine being supplied seeds by Aurukun, Paranum and Mapoon collection groups.
Traditional Owners are vital in improving closure and post-closure outcomes. Kia Dowell, Chair of Gelganyem, explains Traditional Owner Business involvement in the closure and rehabilitation of the Argyle diamond mine:
“Traditional Owner Businesses (TOBs) play a crucial role in the mine closure process by providing a broad range of services including earthworks and civil packages, plumbing, electrical, maintenance, environmental monitoring, land management, cultural awareness training and cultural heritage protection. There are 21 TOBs on site, seven off site (not working on ADM closure) and four new businesses (still getting established).”
Delivering value for regions
The consistent message heard at CRC TiME is the need for better and new resources to guide potential post-mining land use activities and recognise the transition capacity of regions. Put simply, it is a need for tools that support the transition to what’s next.
Together with partners across different regions, CRC TiME is developing tools to support:
Regional cumulative effects assessment and management, including guidance, a roadmap, toolkit and principles for integrating Indigenous and Western knowledges
Collaborative planning for people navigating mine land transition through a deliberative, consensus-building process that provides lessons for other regions in transition
Regional workforce planning, including a new regional employment forecasting tool to understand the effects of diversification currently being piloted in the Bowen Basin, Queensland and Bell Bay, Tasmania
Legacy and post-mine atlas concepts, including developing atlases on water, sites to potentially host renewable energy resources and mineral by-products that can support regional planning, including attraction of new post-mine investment
Together, these tools will better equip regional communities, miners, post-mine investors, Traditional Owners and businesses and governments to create and deliver solutions that best align with regional economic futures.
Re-evaluating skills training
If the goal is to transform the mining lifecycle for the better, people involved in mine closure and transitions need the right skills at the right time to understand what is possible.
Given the current mine closure education and training options across the country were unclear and scattered, CRC TiME engaged the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) and Business Skill Victoria (BSV) to undertake a strategic review of the available offerings.
Interestingly, in Australia, only 36 professional development courses cover mine closure in some form; of those, only two do so specifically. Fifteen higher education units exist with mine closure as a learning outcome, and there is no VET qualification in mine closure currently available.
CRC TiME is working to fill this gap, with cross-cutting education and training projects. CRC TiME is partnering with Curtin University (CU) on an Indigenous-led project to develop VET products relating to mine closure and post-mine transitions. CU and the University of Queensland delivered the world-first Mass Open Online Course ‘Foundations of Mine Closure and Sustainable Transitions’ in 2023-24 as part of this program.
Re-framing the transition of mines post-closure as an opportunity raises questions, challenges and innovation. What is clear is there are significant benefits to all stakeholders that can be realised through this new approach.
