Tool: Screening Alternatives for Repurposing

This tool provides help identifying alternative uses (repurposing) for the site, post closure.

Clearly describing post closure land use aids the closure vision, site-specific closure objectives, closure activities and the definition of success criteria.

‘Repurposing’ refers to undertakings that have the possibility to generate an income from closure activities, which are alternatives to the pre-mining land use.

Step Guide

STEP
1

Start to identify and evaluate closure options from the earliest stages of closure planning. Use management, community and business initiatives to help. Allow time for local capacity building

STEP
2

Use your knowledge base to provide part of the basis for identifying and evaluating post closure land use options

STEP
4

Look at the considerations shown on the screening alternatives for repurposing (p86) pages to identify and evaluate repurposing alternatives

STEP
5

Develop maps of the post closure landscape and evaluate sections for their potential land use. In early stages these could be large categories of land capability eg in the early planning the land could be identified for agricultural use, later on in the more detailed planning section, the area could be divided into subsections for different agricultural use

STEP
6

Ensure to fully engage with stakeholders including: regulators, indigenous people, government agencies, community organisations and private landowners

STEP
7

Map potential land use for the various mining areas based on the above assessments. As the mine approaches closure, this map should become more detailed including landform designs, surface drainage designs, land capabilities, landscaping designs and key features

STEP
8

Consider post closure land use or regional planning/policy stipulations. Also look at legal framework around title transfer and relinquishment to third parties

STEP
9

In the evaluation, consider the ‘what could go wrong’ options and develop plans to address these considerations