Assessing Landscape Reconstruction at the Ranger Mine Using Landform Evolution Modelling

Authors: Lowry, JBC; Evans, KG; Moliere, DR; Hollingsworth, I Download Paper

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/605_50

Cite As:
Lowry, JBC, Evans, KG, Moliere, DR & Hollingsworth, I 2006, 'Assessing Landscape Reconstruction at the Ranger Mine Using Landform Evolution Modelling', in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2006: Proceedings of the First International Seminar on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 577-586, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/605_50



Abstract:
The Energy Resources of Australia Ranger Mine (ERARM) mineral lease is surrounded by, but excised from the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia (Figure 1). The mine site is located on the left bank of Magela Creek and erosion products from the mine may impact the three small catchments to the north of the mine – Corridor, Georgetown and Coonjimba Creeks, and the large catchment of Gulungul Creek to the west of the mine. Downstream, Magela Creek debouches into the East Alligator River through a broad expanse of floodplain and wetlands listed as “Wetlands of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention (http://www.ramsar.org, 2003). The mineral lease, which lies in the wet-dry tropics, receives high-intensity storms and tropical monsoons between October and April with little rain falling for the remainder of the year. The annual average rainfall is 1480 mm (Bureau of Meteorology, 1999). The mine has been operational since 1981, with production of uranium concentrate currently planned to continue until 2014 (Johnston and Needham, 1999; Hollingsworth and Lowry, 2005). Mining is presently underway in the open-cut Pit 3 (Figure 1). Pit 1 is currently being used for tailings deposition, supplementing the existing above-grade tailing storage facility. At the completion of mining, tailings from the above-grade facility will be transferred to Pit 3, which, along with Pit 1, will be capped. The above-grade waste rock dumps will be rehabilitated. With the mine approaching the end of its life, attention is being increasingly focussed on the closure and the rehabilitation of the mine. This paper describes the process that will be used to assess the long term geomorphic stability of the proposed reconstructed landform. Figure 1 Location and layout of the Ranger uranium mine Mine Closure 2006 ― Andy Fourie and Mark Tibbett (eds) © 2006 Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, ISBN 0-9756756-6-4 Mine Closure 2006, Perth, Australia 577

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