Rehabilitation and Closure Management

The objective of our mine closure plans is to ensure that the environment where mining activities take place is restored to a long-term sustainable state, which may be a similar condition to what existed before mining took place, or a condition suitable for another use, in line with relevant stakeholder engagement outcomes. We have obligations to make operational and financial provisions to ensure the mine closure plans, rehabilitation and remediation activities are completed with consideration for internal and external stakeholder engagement.

Closure planning is undertaken for all operations, and financial provisions updated as required. We plan for closure from the earliest stages in the life of mines, including consideration at feasibility stage prior to mine development, ensuring appropriate due diligence, impact assessments, and allocation of adequate resources for closure activities to be properly implemented, managed and monitored throughout the active-closure and post-closure phases.

The Rehabilitation and Mine Closure Sustainability Performance Standard requires the use of a responsible approach to land management through the operational phase and into closure, including progressive rehabilitation during the life of mine. Closure planning requires site-specific closure objectives, metrics and targets, and completion criteria for each operation. Closure plans are required to be developed to a level of detail  that reflects the stage of each mine’s life cycle, and they are updated in accordance with the Standard and regulatory requirements reflecting operational changes and progressive rehabilitation requirements.

Progress reports on implementation and compliance with ongoing reclamation commitments are submitted to regulatory authorities as required and third-party auditors annually.