Cost Effective Plans for Successful Mine Closure – Recent Case Studies

Successful rehabilitation, reclamation or closure of massive soil and vegetation
disturbances from mining requires a comprehensive and holistic approach. Those
overseeing rehabilitation efforts should assimilate and stage several considerations into a
working relationship that integrates five fundamentals for successful mine closure.
Employing the discipline to work through the discovery sequence of the first three
fundamentals – to analyse soils and substrates, pick the right plant materials for the site
and select the most cost effective erosion and sediment control techniques, will
undoubtedly lead a project in the right direction.
These fundamentals must be followed by the development of clear and comprehensive
construction plans and specifications to effectively communicate the project requirements
to contractors and installers. Once construction commences, onsite oversight of
acceptable installations must be conducted by qualified inspectors knowledgible of the site
conditions. Then, active rehabilitation sites must be regularly inspected and maintained
after each significant precipitation or other potentially damaging event. Inspections should
be conducted by qualified professionals whose expectations are consistent with the
installer as well as the owner and regulatory entity(s). Failure to systematically execute on
any of these fundamentals can undermine the best laid plans of any mine closure project.