Lateral thinking on minesite rehabilitation in Australia

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:588934

Williams, D J

The Australian mining industry has disturbed less than 0.3 % of the land mass in 200 years, compared with 65 % used for agricultural activity (mostly for sparse grazing). About 0.1 % of Australia`s land is cleared every year, removing native habitat. The rehabilitation of mined land conventionally involves smoothing of the disturbed land, followed by revegetation. The end land use is typically designated as cattle grazing, even though this is unsustainable in the more arid climates. Open-cut mining results in an elevated land form. Smoothing generates a mounded final land form of enlarged area, which tends to direct increased rainfall runoff, erosion products, and any contamination offsite. An alternative strategy is to minimise the area of disturbance and to contain any potential offsite impacts within the mined area. This can be achieved with far less earthworks than is required for smoothing, and reduces offsite impacts. A dished plateau land form allows grazing, while retaining steeper slopes is compatible with native habitat re-construction, reflecting the sharp relief which often dominates in nature. These alternative strategies are being trialed at a number of operating Australian mines.

• OSTI ID: 588934
• Report Number(s): CONF-9605286--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AUSTRALIA
COAL MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EROSION
HABITAT
LAND USE
REVEGETATION
RUNOFF