Mine Closure

The last two decades have seen a significant evolution in both the methods for and purposes of closure cost estimating. As part of this evolution, changes in the uses of closure cost estimates have resulted in coincident changes in the scope, methods employed and level of detail required. Read more... about An Evolution of the Methods for and Purposes of Mine Closure Cost Estimating

The last two decades have seen a significant evolution in the approaches used to close gold heap leach pad facilities in an environmentally responsible manner. With the promulgation of new cyanide regulations in the State of Nevada, USA in 1989, the mining industry was faced with the need to Read more... about The Evolution of Cyanide Heap Leach Closure Methods

What do you really need to know about mine closure planning and costing?

This high level talk covers key aspects of mine closure planning and costing from both international and local perspectives (using specific examples from Queensland). It will address the importance of focusing on Read more... about Mine Closure: What is the real cost?

Attractive Nuisances and Wicked Solutions: Sustainable Mine Closure Read more... about Attractive Nuisances and Wicked Solutions

Successful mine closure or reclamation processes have various definitions in jurisdictions around the world. Setting criteria for a successful mine closure is required to measure progress towards achieving the objectives of closure. The majority of existing guidelines are based on processes – Read more... about A comparative study of regulatory approaches to mine closure with a special emphasis on the current situation in the former Soviet Union

The promulgation and the entry into force of the Law Nº 20.551 that regulates the closure of mining operations and its facilities, through the Supreme Decree Nº 41, on November 2012, has been one of the most relevant regulatory changes in the last few years for the mining industry in Chile.

In summary, the new Law has three fundamental pillars: the obligation to submit for the approval of the authorities a closure plan that guarantees the physical and chemical stability of the mining facilities after finishing their operations; the requirement to provide the State with a financial guarantee equal to the value of the implementation of the closure measures and works; and the establishment of a post-closure fund.

In addition, the Law gives more attributions to the corresponding Authority (SERNAGEOMIN, part of the Chilean Mining Ministry) to establish audits and apply rigorous sanctions to those non-compliant mining companies.

The Law was successfully implemented through a collaborative public-private strategy, and the result was the presentation in time of the mine closure plans by 90% of the industry, with closure cost gradually guaranteed from 2015, for an amount superior to US$ 12.000 millions.

This article presents a vision of the main lessons learned from the process of the implementation of the Law during its key installation stage (2012-2014), from the perspective of a world class mining company and its mine closure consultant experts; as well as improvement opportunities and challenges that the mining industry will face with this new Law within the next years. Read more... about Implementation of Mine Closure Law in Chile: Lessons Learned and Opportunities

Sustainability, positive legacy and the importance of social closure are high on the agenda of many mining companies operating around the world today.  Read more... about Livelihood Restoration

The current BHP Billiton Olympic Dam (OD) operation comprises underground workings (tunnels, stopes) and a number of surface facilities including the TSF and processing plant.  Mined out stopes in the underground workings are backfilled using cement aggregate fill which includes a portion of Read more... about Post-Closure Groundwater Impact Assessment for the Underground Mining Operation at Olympic Dam

Mine closure, the idea. Where did it begin and how did we develop our current understanding of the associated technical, environmental and social challenges? This paper will present three histories of mine closure, developed using different methods and leading to somewhat different conclusions.

The first history examines societal factors that contributed to the early ideas about mine closure. It uses the normal methods of historical research, specifically review of primary and secondary written sources, and focuses on how both competing resource uses and the development of environmental movements led to early mine closure legislation.

The second history addresses scientific and technical developments related to mine closure. It uses a method known as bibliometric mapping. Over 4,000 technical references related to mine closure were collected and analysed by a series of text-mining, statistical and graphical techniques. The results show the growth in the field as a whole from the 1960s to the present day, and also the shifts in emphasis from reclamation to more holistic closure, from the major element composition of affected waters to various minor and trace elements, and from bio-physical and chemical effects to socio-economic concerns.

The third history reviews the development of mine closure practices over the last twenty years. It draws on concept mapping exercises completed by mine closure experts in 1998 and again in 2006. It shows the transition from isolated specialties to a mature discipline, complete with higher level management processes, continuing growth in technical fields, and new interests in stakeholder and sustainability issues.

Even these three approaches together do not constitute a complete history. But perhaps they will enrich our understanding of how the idea of mine closure has changed and continues to change over time and in different parts of the mining industry. Read more... about Some Histories of Mine Closure, The Idea