Technology is credited with spearheading improvements in safety and cutting carbon emissions in mining industry, but it’s also taking site rehabilitation efforts to new heights.
Atlantech Director and Environmental Lead Jason Desmond said the use of geomorphic design and software applications is creating rehabilitation areas the industry could be proud of.
“Landform design is a key challenge faced by the mining industry and design approaches have evolved over time,” Mr Desmond said.
“Traditionally, mine rehabilitation success has been based on creating safe and stable landforms which grow some form of vegetation such as pasture, native grasses, trees or even forestry trials.
“Natural landform design is a lot closer at resembling what you see in nature compared to traditional 10-degree sloped landform with flat tops, which are often referred to as looking like bread loaves.
“Re-establishing a landscape’s natural form is more favourable to the community, governments and people who construct the landscape and want to leave an aesthetically pleasing legacy that can sustain ecosystems like non-mined land.”
Mr Desmond said significant change had occurred in the past 15 years – from basic landform designs with some form of vegetation, to productive vegetation on those areas such as pastures for grazing or forestry for harvesting to the natural landform designs of today which are better for establishing complex ecological communities.
“Glencore’s Mangoola Coal mine in NSW is a best practice example and was the first mine nationally to adopt the natural rehabilitation method to progressively return 1300 hectares to landform and vegetation,” he said.
“The miner is going above its project approval requirements to establish a long-term sustainable eco system in the area and is utilising tested science.”
“Other examples of projects leading the way include the Drayton, Mount Pleasant, Mount Arthur, Mount Owen, Ravensworth, Hunter Valley Operations (HVO), and Mount Thorley Warkworth mines in the Hunter Valley.”
To achieve natural landform rehabilitation, all aspects of a mine’s personnel are involved from the outset.
“The rehabilitation completed is one of the rare projects that nearly every person on site has some influence on from design, early mine works, mining activities through to final landform shaping and ongoing monitoring and rehabilitation maintenance personnel,” Mr Desmond said.
“Natural landform rehabilitation leaves a legacy people involved can be proud of and create standards I’m personally really excited about.
“Through technology and ongoing improvements, natural landform design will continue to successfully restore the environment as close as possible to nature.
“Several trials have already proved that rehabilitation practices can be valuable post mining such as profitable grazing areas, forestry, solar farms, hydrological energy, and even high value ecological habitats.
“I believe the future is likely to see rehabilitation areas be accepted by the State government as applicable biodiversity offset areas, mine sites be certified/signed off sooner after the end of mine due to proactive techniques while the site is operational as well as beneficial re-use of mine voids, such as the Muswellbrook Coal hydro set-up for example.”
