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Objective
Recommendation
Key issues
Actions taken
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Objective To mitigate and, where practicable, halt the environmental harm caused by abandoned mine sites. Recommendation It is recommended that the Government agency Tasmania Development and Resources, in consultation with the Department of Environment and Land Management, prepares and publishes a strategic plan which describes a programme, prioritised according to potential for causing environmental harm, for implementing the mining lands rehabilitation provisions of the Minerals Resources Development Act 1995. Key issues This information is available from Volume 2 of the last SoE Report (SDAC 1997), which can be downloaded. The final objective, final recommendation, and a summary of key management actions are detailed below. Actions taken There has been some progress made in addressing the objective of this recommendation on abandoned mine rehabilitation since the previous SoE Report (1997), including the following. - In 2000-01 the 'Tasmanian Acid Drainage Reconnaissance' (Gurung 2001) investigation was conducted by Mineral Resources Tasmania and the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. It provides a basis for 'an inventory of sources of acid drainage from historic mine workings', which is required under Section 37.5 of the 'Tasmanian State Policy on Water Quality Management' (1997). The development of remedial programs to address priority problem areas is also required under this policy. The program is a component of the State water quality and quantity programs and has been largely funded by the National Heritage Trust. Further work is still required to provide a more complete inventory, and to establish priority areas for remedial programs.
- The Rehabilitation of Mining Lands Trust Fund was established in 1997 following the proclamation of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995. The target of this trust fund is the rehabilitation of abandoned mining lands for which no person or organisation can now be held responsible. A portion of mining royalties raised by the Act is allocated for this purpose. Through the trust fund various projects aimed at remedial works to address acid drainage problems at several abandoned mine sites around the State have been supported.
- Major mining operations in Tasmania that are handling waste in line with best practice in treating potential acid drainage include ABM Savage River Mines, Renison, Pasminco Rosebery, and Mt Lyell.
- A report on the 'Feasibility of Remediating Mt Lyell Acid Mine Drainage' was produced in 2001 detailing three main options and the costings, including full neutralisation, partial neutralisation, and copper recovery through solvent extraction. Public consultation was invited between December 2001 and February 2002, and the most supported option was for full neutralisation.
- The Clean up the King River Project was established, funded by the Natural Heritage Trust, with one of its key aims being to improve the ecological health of the lower King River and Macquarie Harbour through treatment of the acid drainage associated with the Mount Lyell mine site' (Environment Australia 2003).
- The Mt Lyell Acid Drainage Reduction Act 2003 has been passed to facilitate a reduction of acid drainage pollution at Mt Lyell and for related purposes.
- The Mt Bischoff Rehabilitation Program is being developed by Mineral Resources Tasmania and funded by RiverWorks (a Natural Heritage Trust program) to conduct site improvement and ameliorate the effects of acid mine drainage on the Arthur and Waratah Rivers, which has emanated from the former Mt Bischoff tin mining operations at Waratah.
- The Savage River Rehabilitation Project has been established including a Strategic Plan (2001) for long term remediation of environmental harm resulting from pre-1997 operations at the Savage River and Port Latta sites in the north-east of the State. The principal cause of the degradation is thought to be acid drainage emanating from approximately 200 million tonnes of waste rock deposited in dumps around the site.
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