The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) has released a new Mine Closure Completion Guideline to clarify evidence tenement holders should provide to show they have met all the agreed closure outcomes and rehabilitation criteria as outlined in their mine closure plan (MCP).
If DMIRS accepts that the completion criteria from the MCP have been achieved, the corresponding mining activities will be considered to be concluded.
The DMIRS will then issue formal written acknowledgement, remove the relevant tenement conditions related to submission of annual environmental reports and MCPs, and initiate a review of any relevant unconditional performance bonds held for compliance with tenement conditions related to the rehabilitation that has been completed.
DMIRS Resource and Environmental Compliance assistant executive director Dan Endacott said a key theme arising from the feedback received was clarifying how the Mine Closure Completion Report fits into the mine closure planning process.
“The Guideline has been updated to include a diagram outlining how this document fits into the life of mine process,” he said.
“DMIRS considers it important that the requirements under the Mining Act are clearly articulated, as this will inform broader work across government on mine closure and relinquishment.
“DMIRS thanks all stakeholders for their considered input into the process.”
Prior to submitting a Mine Closure Completion Report, it is recommended that tenement holders contact DMIRS to confirm they meet the requirements.
The reports can be completed and submitted to DMIRS in a staged approach as portions of mine disturbances are rehabilitated, or for the entirety of a mine.
DMIRS will only consider the closure outcomes and completion criteria as outlined in an approved MCP.
The Mine Closure Completion Report should contain corporate endorsement, project overview, stakeholder engagement, post-mining land use, closure outcomes and completion criteria, determination of post-closure risks and any supporting evidence.