ntg-mono

Legacy mines

Legacy mines are areas where mining activities happened in the past, but there is no security in place.

This means that the area was either never secured or the previous security has been fully spent.

These sites can include various features like infrastructure and waste rock dumps.

They are also known as unsecured mining activities.

Types and impacts

They can range from:

  • isolated mine workings like an open shaft
  • to complex mines with waste rock dumps and tailings dams.

There can also be legacy mine features within active mine sites that are not the responsibility of the new mining operator.

Legacy mines can cause:

  • public hazards such as:
    • safety risks from open workings or pits
    • infrastructure that is often degraded
  • environmental impacts including:
    • acid metalliferous drainage
    • poor water quality
    • erosion
    • weed infestation.

It is in the interest of the mining sector to see legacy issues addressed, as their continuing presence:

  • may have adverse impacts on the environment
  • can reinforce community opposition to mining, especially when new developments are being proposed.

While there may be a large number of legacy mines, most are old workings and few are large complex sites.

Remediation

Remediation is a normal part of mining. It is the final stage in a mining operation when a mine closes and the area is remediated.

Mine remediation is the process of repairing the impacts of mining activity on the environment.

The long-term objectives of remediation can vary from simply making the site safe and stable condition, to creating a landscape that can support future uses of the land. These include returning it to agricultural land or identifying new beneficial uses.

Mining that occurred many years ago may not have been remediated to the high environmental standards we expect today.

The remediation of the former Rum Jungle Mine in the 1980s is an example of where it was not done to today's standard. Read more about the Rum Jungle rehabilitation project.

Contact

For more information, email lmu.ditt@nt.gov.au or rumjungleproject@nt.gov.au.