Publication Name

MINING FOR CLOSURE

leading environmental managers in mining. These

booklets have been available electronically and in

hard copy and from 1995 to 2000 have been dis-

tributed to over sixty countries around the world.

An important component of best practice is the

ability to be flexible in devising solutions which

match site-specific needs in terms of the types of

mining operation, climate, topography, the sensi-

tivity of the surrounding environment, and social

requirements, which deliver outcomes consistent

with sustainable development principles and objec-

tives (Environmental Protection Agency, 1995b).

Best practice environmental management in min-

ing focuses on the principles of environment im-

pact assessment and environmental management.

The booklets use case studies to demonstrate how

these principles can be integrated through all phas-

es of resource development from pre-exploration

planning, through construction, operation, closure

and post-mining monitoring and maintenance.

The resources developed by the Best Practice Envi-

ronmental Management in Mining programme are

available free of charge on the Internet.

Finally in this introduction of important terms,

a very limited set of terms describing important

physical parameters of mining and environment

are provided. These parameters are referred to ex-

plicitly and implicitly throughout this entire docu-

ment. Key reference sources utilised in the genera-

tion of this document and/or considered important

resources for actors wishing to pursue the topic

further are also included here.

Acid Drainage

– Also commonly referred to as

Acidic Drainage, Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

or Acid Rock Drainage (ARD). Acid drainage

arises from the oxidation of sulphide miner-

als and often occurs when such minerals are

exposed to the atmosphere by excavation. Inci-

dent rainfall or surface water is acidified when

acid-forming compounds dissolve. Effects in-

clude acid drainage from waste rock stockpiles

and tailings, development of acid conditions in

exposed surface materials, increased solubility

and or release of metals, and increased salinity

or solute loads in waters.

Tailings

– Residue from metallurgical process-

ing (process wastes), mainly comprising finely

ground rock. When ore bodies are extracted the

valuable mineral is surrounded by gangue (un-

economic material) that needs to be separated

in a concentrating process. Crushing and grind-

ing methods are used to reduce the mined ore

to sand and silt sizes, and then the concentrat-

ing process for the valuable minerals can begin.

Tailings contain residual target minerals and

also often contain process chemical residues.

Tailings dams

– Engineered holding and stor-

age areas for process wastes (tailings), also re-

ferred to as Tailings Storage Facilities, Process

Waste Storage Facilities, Tailings Management

Areas (TMAs), Tailings Retention Systems and

more. Tailings dams are similar to convention-

al water dams in that they are designed to be a

retaining structure. However, a tailings dam is

designed to retain water and solids, whereas a

conventional dam retains only water.

Surplus Rock or Waste Rock

– Rock that must

be extracted to reach economic ore but does

not contain significant commercial miner-

alization. While not as highly mineralized as

target ore, such rock can also contain metals

and sulphide minerals that contribute to the

environmental problems listed above.

Among the many potential or actual environmental

impacts related to mining and minerals process-

ing mentioned or discussed in this document, the

topic of acidic drainage is of particular importance

– particularly because of the considerable liabilities

associated with this phenomena. In the SEE/TRB

context, acidic drainage is a priority due to its dem-

onstrated potential for trans-boundary pollution in

the region (Peck, 2004), the potential ultra-longevi-

ty of its impacts, and its widespread prevalence. The

general manner in which it is perceived that these

terms should be interpreted, how such matters

should be approached, and some important sup-

porting information resources are also very briefly

14. They include a series of booklets, a series of checklists designed

to provide guidance to regulators and industrial actors and the

joint Environment Australia/UNEP Best Practice Environmental

Management in Mining Training Kit. The Training Kit is designed

to help trainers plan and deliver effective training aimed at improv-

ing the environmental performance of minerals operations. The

different volumes in the Kit give extensive references to further

information, including that which is available from the Sustain-

able Minerals series e-booklets. Environment Australia developed

this training kit in conjunction with the United Nations Environ-

ment Programme (UNEP), to move the Sustainable Minerals pro-

gramme into a new phase. It assists trainers in developing training

sessions based on the Sustainable Minerals booklets and provides

presentation slides, notes, a selection of case studies and work-

sheets. UNEP has sought to ensure the kit’s international focus,

particularly in promoting awareness of Sustainable Minerals tech-

niques in developing countries. See

http://www.deh.gov.au/in-

dustry/industry-performance/minerals/training-kits/index.html.

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