ICMM Guidance > Integrated Mine Closure - Good Practice Guide > Element 8 – Closure Execution Plan > Tool: Closure Plan Documentation

Tool: Closure Plan Documentation

The closure planning process must be documented in a formal, written plan accompanied by supporting documents.

This tool provides guidance to creating a closure plan. The closure plan describes actions to implement site closure.

Step Guide

STEP
1

Ensure you have addressed actions for the near term, with budget and staffing requirements identified

STEP
2

Clearly allocate responsibilities and ensure completion of tasks adhere to agreed timeline schedules

STEP
3

Your closure plan needs to establish a defined basis for closure cost estimates – based on the costs for carrying out closure activities. Download the recommended minimum closure plan contents table (p126) and consider required content for your plan

STEP
4

Download and consider the additional closure plan contents for good practice table (p127) and add relevant content to your plan

STEP
5

Typical industry and regulatory practice suggests updating the plan every three to five years – download key questions to ask when updating the closure plan (p129) to help with this process

The four concepts in a closure plan:

  1. Context: information describing the mine and environment
  2. Vision: what the final state of the site will be at final closure, underpinned by more specific closure objectives
  3. Closure activities: the core of the plan – what activities will be carried out to attain closure
  4. Post closure: what will be carried out after closure, including monitoring, maintenance, and plans for post closure land use and/or relinquishment

Final measures

The final closure plan is typically generated at the end of mine operations. Additional documentation related to the implementation of the closure plan is usually needed during and following implementation of the final closure activities.

In an ideal process, post closure reports will document progress towards meeting success criteria, with a final closure or relinquishment report documenting the completion of the closure to the previously agreed criteria, in support of release of the financial assurance amount, and/or relinquishment of the site.