Chai, B, Zhou, JW & Zhou, AG 2012, 'Practices of post mine closure environment rehabilitation in Guangxi province in China', in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2012: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 231-239, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1208_22_Chai
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/1208_22_Chai/)
Abstract: In China, many closed mines did not have a closure plan to protect the geological environment and to restore land. Therefore, the environments of those mines are worsening. The Chinese government has now approved specialised rehabilitation policies and funding to improve the environment of these closed mines. In this study, we will take four closed mines in Guangxi, as examples, to introduce the closed mines’ geological environmental problems, closure measures and challenges. Of the four mines, two are open metal (manganese) mines, the others are a limestone mine an underground coal mine. Two important factors were considered in choosing the closure measures. These were the geological environment problems and future land use planning.

Above all, the current closure plans consider society, environment and economic factors, which are suited to China’s situations. The closure plans however need the cooperation of the government, scientific institutions and engineering companies, and should be designed by a multidisciplinary team that includes geology, geotechnical engineering, structure engineering and ecology.