Tool: Considerations in Developing Closure Activities for Domain-Specific Issues
At the most basic level, the physical components of a mining operation to be addressed in a closure plan are:
- Mine voids: the openings generated by the mining of material, which include pits, subsidence areas, shaft openings and adits, and underground workings
- Mine waste: waste material generated after the extraction of the ore, including processing by-products (such as tailings, spent heap leach material) and waste rock
- Mine infrastructure: structures and facilities constructed to support mining activities, including elements such as processing facilities, offices, roads, pipelines, power supplies, culverts and laydown areas
Domain-specific issues are the physical components of a mining operation.
Step Guide
STEP
1
Look at considerations in developing closure activities for:
- Mine voids (p111)
- Underground mine closure (p111)
- Open pits (p112)
STEP
2
Consider issues surrounding mine waste including:
- Tailings facility closure (p113)
- Waste rock facilities closure (p116)
- Heap leach waste (p118)
- Slag and process residues (118)
STEP
3
Closure activities for mine infrastructure (p118) are relatively standardised. They typical sequence of closure activities is often as follows:
- Compile an inventory
- Explore alternative uses
- Wind-down
- Isolation
- Decontamination
- Demolition/deconstruction
- Salvage
- Disposal
- Remediation
- Ground preparation
Top Tips:
Refer to the GARD Guide for appropriate protocols of geochemical characterisations of tailings.