20784 29Metals AR 2022 WEB V1 - Flipbook - Page 38
Responsible environmental stewardship continued
CASE STUDY
PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION THROUGH
THE LIFE OF MINE
Progressive rehabilitation is conducted
to keep disturbance to a minimum and to
ensure that land is restored through the
life of mine in preference to waiting until
after mining operations cease. Each of our
operations aim to minimise mine closure
costs and environmental risks via progressive
rehabilitation through the life of mine.
At Golden Grove, a total area of 16ha,
consisting of former gravel pits and laydown
areas, has been targeted for rehabilitation in
the next two years. Seeds have been collected
from Golden Grove tenements by qualified
seed collectors to increase the chance of
rehabilitation success and ensure appropriate
biodiversity values are being restored.
Mine closure and rehabilitation
Progressive closure and mine closure planning
are critical to minimising environmental legacies.
29Metals’ Environmental Management Systems (‘EMS’) include
rehabilitation plans for disturbed land, remediation requirements
for contaminated land, and end-uses for land and infrastructure.
Our mine closure plans are developed in accordance with
relevant regulatory requirements and are reviewed and updated
regularly in consultation with the regulatory bodies. Rehabilitation
and post-mine land use are incorporated into the initial
environmental permitting submissions, and progressively updated
and implemented during a mine’s operating life. Post-closure,
monitoring programmes are designed to measure rehabilitation
progress towards the agreed land use criteria.
Capricorn
Copper
Golden
Grove
1,293
12,917
245
712
In-progress rehabilitation area (ha)
0
0
Completed rehabilitation area (ha)
15.5
1.3
Mining lease area (ha)
Disturbance (ha)
36
29Metals 2022 Annual Report
At Capricorn Copper, there has been extensive planning and
consultation with regulatory authorities on dealing with the
high-risk legacy components linked to the long operating
history of the site. Our preference is to incorporate the legacy
rehabilitation works with future mining activities and planned
rehabilitation works. This approach is intended to optimise the
characterisation and movement of materials for rehabilitation
within mining operations.
During the Reporting Period, Capricorn Copper formally
commenced the transition to a Progressive Rehabilitation and
Closure Plan (‘PRCP’) under the revised regulatory framework
being implemented in Queensland. Capricorn Copper’s PRCP is
required to be submitted by June 2024.
At Golden Grove, mine closure plans are being updated to reflect
any closure risks from proposed lifts to existing tailings storage
facilities and the management processes of rehabilitation and
closure for the changed landform. In addition, an activity-specific
Mine Closure Plan was submitted with the Run-of-Mine (‘ROM’)
Pad extension application which also encompasses a waste rock
dump to manage Potentially Acid Forming (‘PAF’) material.