DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Sustainable development and the challenges of the 21st century Minerals and Energy

Mining – not just a hole in the ground

Francess Perrett3/10/2007

www.nt.gov.au/dpifm

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Miracle pitTanami Desert

Mining - not just a hole in the ground

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Talk outline• Mining in the NT

• Current Economic Climate

• Major NT Resources

• Major NT Projects

• Types of Mining Activities

• Environmental Considerations

• Mining Legislation

• Work Groups

• Departments Functions

• Avoiding Legacy Issues

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Mining in the NT1841 Lead

Glen Osmond SA

1870 Gold

Pine Creek/Adelaide River

Planting the first pole on theOverland Telegraph line

Underground gold mining

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Current Economic Climate

Northern Territory’s economy is growing at 6-7% p.a.

Mining and Petroleum sectors are major economic drivers accounting for > 50% of NT growth.

Mining and Petroleum sectors comprise 26% of economy.

Australian commodity export earnings are expected to rise by 4 per cent to almost $145 billion this financial year.

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Current Economic Climate6 new mines in last 18 months

4-5 more projects expected tocommence operations in next 12-18 months.

The 5 major existing mines have expansionsor extensions underway or proposed.

27 new Authorisations for exploration activities issued in the 2006\2007 financial year.

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Major NT Resources

• Uranium • Gold• Diamonds • Dimension stone and Mineral

sands • Iron, Bauxite and Manganese • Base metals

(Copper, Lead, Zinc)

• Tin, Tantalum, Rare earths

and Magnesite

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Major NT Projects

Alcan 4th

ERA 1st

Newmont 4th

Gemco 1st

McArthur River 4th

World Ranking

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Extractive Industry• Sand and Gravel

• Hard Rock

• Lime

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Exploration Activities• Tracks

• Drill holes

• Drill benches

• Costeans

• Sample bags

• Camps

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Landscape changes

• Stockpiles• Waste rock dumps• Tailings dams and reservoirs• Pit void

Environmental Considerations

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Landscape changes

• Stockpiles• Waste rock dumps• Tailings dams and reservoirs• Pit void

Environmental Considerations

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Water management• Re-use/ release• Effect on downstream

environment

Environmental Considerations

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Environmental ConsiderationsFlora and fauna• Threatened species• Ecological values

Rehabilitation• Life of mine planning• Self sustaining

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Relocation of Threatened Species

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Mining LegislationThe Mining Management Act 2001 (MMA):“ provide[s] for the regulation of mining activities, the management of

mining sites and the protection of the safety and health of persons and the environment on mining sites, and for related purposes”

• Co regulatory

• Non-prescriptive

• Continual improvement

• Best practice

• Whole of life mine planning

• Risk assessment approach

• Environmental consequences

• Efficient cost effective manner

• Cover all operational aspects

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Mining Management Plans

• A description of the mining activities to be carried out

• Safety, health and environmental issues relevant to the mining activities

• Plan and costing of closure activities

As a basis, the Mining Management Act requires that the Mining

Management Plan includes:

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Work Groups

Mining and Petroleum Authorisations and Evaluations

Authorisations and Evaluations

Compliance

Environmental Monitoring Unit (EMU)

plant engineer

equipment engineers

electrical engineer

chemist

ecologist

biologist hydrologist

geologist

spatial scientist

research staff

audit officers

field monitoring team

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Authorisations and EvaluationsThe Authorisations Team of the Minerals and Energy Group is the initial coordination point for guiding the Northern Territory’s mining operators in:

• adopting recognised best practice

• due diligence environmental management

• workplace safety

• occupational health

• radiation safety

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Authorisations and EvaluationsThe Evaluations Team’s work includes:

• development of monitoring programs

• provision of technical advice to support regulation

• evaluation of monitoring of aspects of the environmental performance of mine sites in the NT under the Mining Management Act  

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Environmental Monitoring UnitThe Environmental Monitoring Unit is an on the ground unit that physically samples water from selected mine sites in the Northern Territory. 

The analysis of this data enables:

• monitoring of mine site environmental performance

• verification of the mining company supplied environmental data

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Avoiding Legacy Issues

• The Northern Territory Government is supportive of development projects that result in net material benefit for the community.

• However the protection of the communities interest and the prevention of environmental harm, particularly in the event of project failure, remain a high priority.

• One method available to the Government to protect the community interest should a mining project fail to fulfill its obligations is to hold a financial guarantee or security.

DEPARTMENT OFPRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES

Mining - not just a hole in the ground

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