Four regulatory guidelines and a policy released.
The Department for Energy and Mining continues to improve its regulatory material and public policy. It has recently released new material to support the extractives or quarrying industry as well as an updated Mining Act regulation, compliance and enforcement (PDF 238 KB) policy.
The extractives industry is a vital component in South Australia’s construction sector. The provision of extractive materials to major infrastructure and building projects is significant, as is the ability to develop these resources close to infrastructure and development projects.
The new guidelines to support the extractives industry include:
- MG38: New quarry applications (PDF 7.3 MB). Assists applicants in preparing extractive minerals tenement applications that contain the necessary content and detail to be legislatively compliant.
- MG23: Mining proposals and PEPRs for quarries with defined impacts (PDF 3.6 MB). Helps small-scale quarry applicants prepare a mining proposal (MP) and program for environment protection and rehabilitation (PEPR).
- MG6: Quarry programs for environment protection and rehabilitation (PEPRs) (PDF 1 MB). Helps tenement holders prepare an extractive minerals PEPR that contains the necessary content and detail to be legislatively compliant.
- MG12: Mine operations plans (MOPs) (PDF 1.7 MB). Helps private mine operators understand the statutory requirements for private mine operations under the Mining Act 1971 and Mining Regulations 2020 including how to prepare a MOP in accordance with Part 11B of the Mining Act. It also helps operators understand the ongoing statutory requirements for mining compliance reports.
The release of this material delivers on the government’s commitment to the South Australian Productivity Commission’s recommendations to improve regulation of the extractives supply-chain. The department recognises the support received from Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Australia (CCAA) members, consulting firms and the extractives industry in the development and implementation of these guidelines.
The updated Mining Act regulation, compliance and enforcement (PDF 298 KB) policy was released in November 2021. This policy describes the department’s approach to making regulatory and enforcement decisions to ensure compliance with the Mining Act and associated Regulations.
This policy, together with the Mining Act and its regulatory framework, recognise the importance of the mining industry achieving its required outcomes in a technically proficient and effective manner. It is expected that industry systematically manage and demonstrate compliance with its statutory responsibilities.
This approach is reinforced by the department holding tenement holders to account for managing environmental risk and taking a proactive and preventive approach to compliance to ensure protection of the environment and community interests.
The policy reinforces that tenement holders must engage with stakeholders in the development of their PEPRs or private mine MOPs and actively consider options for mitigating any concerns.
More about legislation and guidance
More about the department’s regulatory approach and compliance framework
– Tony Halls and Paul Thompson, March 2022
