Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program...

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Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Goldfields Environmental Management Group Workshop 2016 Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division 18 May 2016

Transcript of Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program...

Page 1: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Goldfields Environmental Management Group Workshop 2016

Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program

Sarah Bellamy

Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division

18 May 2016

Page 2: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Outline

Mining Rehabilitation Fund

• Background

• Update – Compliance

– Fines

– Disturbance data

– Money in the Fund

– Audits

– Support with reports

Abandoned Mines Program

• Policy and principals

• Long term plan

• Pilot Sites and Ellendale – Ellendale Diamond Mine

– Black Diamond Pit Lake

– Pro-Force Plant Site

– Bulong Tailings Storage Facility (2017)

– Elverdton Dumps Copper-Lead-Zinc

Project (2017)

Page 3: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Mining Rehabilitation Fund

Page 4: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Mining Rehabilitation Fund Background

Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF)

Upfront bonds no longer required

MRF levy is similar to the cost of

maintaining bonds

$1 billion injected back into the

economy

Data release: increased confidence

and transparency

Page 5: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Compliance

Year Level of

compliance

2013 – 2014 96%

2014 – 2015 98%

2015 – 2016 100%

Page 6: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Fines

No. of fines = zero

Page 7: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Disturbance data

Disturbance data reported

Disturbance categories

Must be reported despite

$50,000 RLE threshold –

total not annual

Report disturbances

created or used over the

life of the tenement

Publically released

Mining Rehabilitation Fund Regulations 2013

Page 8: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Money in the Fund

Security – tenement holders fail to meet rehabilitation obligations and all efforts

made to recover funds

MRF Interest legacy abandoned mine sites

2015 – $60 million in the fund, approximately $1.95 million in interest

Page 9: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Audits

Purpose: reported data is accurate and

reliable

State adequately compensated for

rehabilitation liabilities

Risk-based and random selection

If discrepancies suspected – MRF

Direction issued

Penalties can be applied for false and

misleading information

Page 10: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Audits

Patterns: – Not reporting all disturbances created or used over the life of the tenement

– Reporting sections of land as both disturbed and under rehabilitation

Reassessments

Each tenement audited at least once every 5 years

– Audits can include the previous 2 years of reporting

Page 11: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

MRF Update – Support with reports

Guidance material on the website: Environment MRF Documents

Public-access computers in the Library at Mineral House and Regional Offices

Email: [email protected]

Ph: (08) 9222 3162

Page 12: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program

Page 13: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Policy and Principals

Abandoned Mines Policy

Objectives

• Prioritisation and support for criteria

• Risk identification

• Value

• Support tools

• Methodology

• End land use

Principles

• Resourcing and partnership

opportunities

• Information sharing and leading best

practice

Page 14: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Long term plan

Implementation

over the next few

years

Page 15: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

– Ellendale Diamond Mine (Shire of Derby/

West Kimberley)

– Black Diamond Pit Lake (Shire of Collie)

– Pro Force Plant Site (Shire of Coolgardie)

– Bulong Tailing Storage Facility (City of

Kalgoorlie Boulder)

– Elverdton Tailing Storage Facility (Shire of

Ravensthorpe)

Mine Closure Planning

• Safe

• Stable

• Non polluting

• Capable of sustaining agreed post

mining land use

• Stakeholder engagement

Black Diamond

Pro-Force

Ellendale

Page 16: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

Ellendale Diamond Mine Current status: care and maintenance

Site secure – access requires DMP

consent

Removed > 20,000L of hydrocarbons

Removed several tons of contaminated

soil

Industrial tip area cleaned up

Disposed of several tonnes of

windblown rubbish

Page 17: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

Ellendale Diamond Mine

Re-established internal walls within

tailing storage facility (TSF)

Surveyed the TSF and investigated

freeboard levels

Installed barriers to restrict access to

unsafe areas

Ongoing stakeholder consultation

Information sheets on DMP website

Page 18: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

Black Diamond Pit Lake

Working Group representatives: – Shire of Collie

– Department of Lands

– Department of Parks and Wildlife

– Collie Visitor Centre

– Black Diamond Action Group

– adjoining landowners

– DMP

Address:

– safety risks associated with steep

southern pit wall

– water quality and ecosystem

restoration

Community supported end land use

Page 19: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

Pro-Force Plant Site

Preliminary site assessment

conducted in February 2016

Stakeholder engagement

Address safety risks associated

with: – Derelict abandoned processing

plant

– Unsealed vertical shaft

– Five meter deep trench adjacent to

Coolgardie-Esperance Highway

Page 20: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

2017

Bulong Tailing Storage Facility

Potential issues associated with:

– Dust and contamination

– Impacts on the surrounding environment –

seepage from the TSF

Page 21: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Abandoned Mines Program Pilot Sites and Ellendale

2017

Elverdton Tailings Storage

Facility

Issues associated with: – uncontained tailings – impacts

on surrounding environment

Current tenure over a portion of

the site

Page 22: Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program … · Western Australia’s Abandoned Mines Program Sarah Bellamy Manager Environmental Reform, Environment Division ... – Bulong

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum

Questions

Sarah Bellamy

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (08) 9222 3604

MRF enquiries

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (08) 9222 3162

Abandoned Mines Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (08) 9222 3162