Reducing Our Footprint - Rehabilitation of Mined Land

Mining is a temporary use of land. When mining in a particular area is complete, the land must be rehabilitated to a safe, stable and self-sustaining condition.  This can involve, for example, filling in voids left by mining, reshaping disturbed areas so they are consistent with the surrounding landscape, ensuring the site has proper drainage to minimise erosion, replacing topsoil and establishing native vegetation.

Rehabilitation objectives are defined early in the planning process in consultation with government, local councils, the community and other stakeholders.  For older mines, rehabilitation objectives are outlined in Mining Operations Plans. On land previously used for agriculture or plantation forestry, the aim could be to rehabilitate the land to its pre-mining level of productivity. In other cases, the objective may be to restore the area as nearly as possible to its original condition, with all its environmental and heritage or conservation values intact.  In some cases, remodelling of the area to a completely new land use could be appropriate, such as converting the mined area to a wetland, golf course or an area suitable for urban development.

Child planting a tree on rehabilitated site

Rehabilitation is integrated into the mining process.  For example, when developing an open cut mine, top soil is stripped and stored separately so that it can be used for the topsoil cover during mine rehabilitation.  Because mines operate over long time scales, rehabilitation can be carried out progressively when mining finishes in one area and moves to another.  This minimises the area of disturbed land, which helps to reduce dust, improve amenity and ensure the impacts of the mine at any point in time are kept to a minimum.

To ensure mines carry out rehabilitation to a satisfactory standard, the NSW Government requires companies holding titles under the Mining Act 1992 to lodge security bonds sufficient to cover the cost of rehabilitation.  In the event that rehabilitation is not undertaken satisfactorily or a company goes into administration, the security deposits can be used by the government to fund outstanding rehabilitation works, ensuring public money is not required.

For the past 10-15 years, mines have actively used biodiversity offsets to minimise the impacts caused by clearing native vegetation.  The offset areas are actively managed to improve biodiversity (e.g. tree planting and the exclusion of stock), helping to counterbalance any impacts at the mine site. Offsets, along with mine rehabilitation, can help to create lasting, positive biodiversity outcomes when mining operations are finished.

Tree planting as part of mine site rehabilitation

Internal Links

NSWMC Policy and Advocacy – Land Management 

NSWMC Rehabilitation Policy - A Greener Future

NSWMC Rehabilitation Practice Notes ($50.00 inc gst. To order email information@nswmin.com.au)

Case Study – Mt Owen Rehabilitation

Case Study – Blayney Rehabilitation