Progressive mine rehabilitation: a pre-emptive approach to 'end of mine' obligations in NSW and Queensland

摘要

Both the NSW and Queensland governments are proposing changes to the regulatory regime for mine rehabilitation in their respective states which, if adopted, would have significant implications for mine proponents and operators throughout the mine life cycle.The proposed reforms aim to minimise the risk of abandonment of future mine sites and to provide greater transparency and certainty for mine rehabilitation, in turn improving land use outcomes for local communities and the environment. This is to be achieved by changing the "end of mine" perception around mine rehabilitation by introducing requirements for proponents and operators to give greater upfront consideration to mine rehabilitation and implement rehabilitation progressively throughout all stages of the mine life cycle.