Closure planning: a review of guidance and suggestions for improving the state of practice

Authors: Nickifor, C; McKenna, G; Cash, A; Adams, M Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2515_13

Cite As:
Nickifor, C, McKenna, G, Cash, A & Adams, M 2025, 'Closure planning: a review of guidance and suggestions for improving the state of practice', in S Knutsson, AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2025: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-15, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2515_13



Abstract:
Mine closure plans can be a powerful tool to enable efficient mine planning, decision-making, collaboration and progressive reclamation. The intent of a closure plan is to provide a path from mine construction, commissioning and operations through to closure monitoring and maintenance. Ultimately, the closure plan allows the mine to make sound decisions, provides regulators and local communities with assurance that the mine is on track to meet its commitments, and establishes a basis to seek capital to fund the reclamation. The state of practice in closure planning (and mine reclamation more generally) has evolved considerably over the past 50 years. The growing number of international guidelines, conference papers and handbooks demonstrate the usefulness of closure planning (the “why”), and that the contents of closure plans and the closure activities are well known and understood (the “what”). Many mining companies have developed proprietary standards to guide such activities. Despite all this, the frequent lack of sign-off and relinquishment of reclaimed post-mining land, mainly over concerns regarding residual risk, indicates the need for further improvement in closure planning and implementation. A selection of guidelines and standards are reviewed, and shortcomings of the existing body of guidance are identified. To improve closure planning implementation and outcomes, the review identifies the need to elevate mine closure considerations at both the mine operations and corporate governance levels, and to develop a clear and agreed upon closure design basis. A willingness to share examples of both positive and negative closure planning and reclamation work is also needed to promote knowledge sharing, thereby improving outcomes of individual mine sites and the state of practice for the mining industry.

Keywords: mine closure, corporate standards, design basis, governance

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