Programs for environment protection and rehabilitation (PEPR) and mine operation plans (MOP)
All mining operations are regulated through approved programs. Mining leases (MLs/EMLs) and miscellaneous purposes licences (MPLs) must be operated in accordance with an approved program for environment protection and rehabilitation (PEPR), while operations on a private mine must be in accordance with an approved mine operations plan (MOP).
When a ML or MPL is granted the tenement holder must submit a PEPR within the required timeframe specified in the lease conditions. Operations cannot commence until an approved PEPR is in place.
MOPs must be prepared in accordance with the regulatory guideline MG12: Mine operations plans:
PEPRs must be prepared in accordance with the relevant terms of reference:
- Terms of Reference 002 - Extractive mineral quarry PEPRs (PDF 444 KB)
- Terms of Reference 005 - Metallic and industrial mineral PEPRs (PDF 464 KB)
Further information on PEPRs and MOPs can be found on the Regulatory guidelines page of this website.
Approved programs
A list of PEPRs and MOPs approved in the last 12 months can be found in the table below.
| Approved program | Tenement holder(s) or Operator(s) | Tenement number(s) | Commodity or Resource | Location | Approval date and letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siviour Graphite Project | Ausmin Development Pty Ltd | ML 6495 | Graphite | Approximately 12 km west of Arno Bay | 8 September 2026 |
| Youngs Quarry | C.L. Land Management Pty Ltd | PM 214 | Quartzite | Approximately 15 km south east of Port Pirie | 28 August 2026 |
| Gericke's Pit (Not available at this time) | K.D. & H.M. Gericke Proprietary Limited | ML 6567 | Calcrete | Coombe area, North-West of Keith | 26 August 2026 |
| Kalkaroo Copper Project | Kalkaroo Copper Pty Ltd; Sandfire South Australia Pty Ltd | MLs 6498, 6499, 6500 and MPL 158 | Exploration Drilling Program | Curnamona Province | 4 August 2026 |
| Prominent Hill Mine | OZ minerals Prominent Hill Operations Pty Ltd | ML 6228, MPLs 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, 101, 112-117, 119-122 and 169-176 EMLs 6234, 6236-6242, 6278,6296 and 6299-6301 | Copper, Gold, Silver | Coober Pedy area | 26 June 2026 |
| Kalkaroo Copper Gold Project | Kalkaroo Copper Pty Ltd Sandfire Resources (SA) Pty Ltd | MLs 6498, 6499, 6500, MPL 158 | Exploration Drilling Program | Broken Hill area | 01 May 2026 |
| Alexandrina Quarry | HP Resources SA Pty Ltd | ML 6563 | Limestone, Sand | Strathalbyn area | 28 April 2026 |
| Tooperang Sand Pit | Mark Steen Meyer and Kerry Elizabeth Cross | EML 5331 EML 5864 EML 6449 | Clay Gravel Sand Silica Sand | Tooperang area | 24 April 2026 |
| Victor Harbor Quarry | Victor Harbor Quarries Pty Ltd | PM 197, EML 4859, MPL 162 | Meta-silt Stone | Victor Harbor | 27 February 2026 |
| Dublin Pit | Leinad Land Management Pty Ltd | EML 6560 | Limestone | Dublin area | 25 February 2026 |
| Salt Creek Sand Pit | Longs Sands and Metal Pty Ltd | EML 6140 | Gravel, Sand | Pallamana area | 2 February 2026 |
| Jacinth Ambrosia | Iluka (Eucla Basin) Pty Ltd | ML 6315, MPL 110, MPL 111, MPL 161, EML 6316, EML 6325, EML 6326, EML 6330, EML 6331, EML 6332, EML 6333, EML 6334 | Heavy Mineral Concentrate, Ilmenite, Leucoxene, Monazite, rutile, Tin, Zircon, Limestone, Calcrete, Granite, Gravel | approximately 800 km northwest of Adelaide | 30 January 2026 |
| Mindarie Mineral Sands Project - Mercunda Strandline (PDF, 33.7 MB) | Murray Zircon Pty Ltd | ML 6137, 6225, 6220 MPLs 77, 79 | Heavy Mineral Concentrate, Ilmenite, Leucoxene, Rutile, Zircon | Loxton area | |
| Hartley Rubble Pit (PDF, 56.7 MB) | Futuretop Developments Pty Ltd | ML 6564 | Limestone, sand | Strathalbyn area | 1 December 2025 |
| Carrara Marble Quarry (PDF, 101.6 MB) | Amulet Holdings Pty Ltd | ML 6556, PM 111 | Marble (Limestone) | Adelaide Kapunda | 21 October 2025 |
| Carapateena Mine - Volume 1 (PDF, 62.6 MB) Carapateena Mine - Volume 2 (PDF, 129.0 MB) | OZM Carrapateena Pty Ltd OZ Minerals Carrapateena Pty Ltd | ML 6471, MPLs 149, 152, 153, 154, 156 | Copper, Gold, Silver | Pernatty area | 18 September 2025 |
Note: All MOPs received prior to the implementation of the new Mining Act and regulations effective 1 January 2021 are listed for reference only, the associated documentation is not publicly accessible. MOPs received after 1 January 2021 are listed above inclusive of documentation.
Previously approved PEPRs can be accessed via the following:
- Georeference section of the South Australian Resources Information Gateway (SARIG)
- South Australia Mining Register
Change to a mining operation
If a change to existing operations or circumstances is proposed within an existing mining tenement, the tenement holder must submit a change in operations application in accordance with:
A list of change in operation approvals approved in the last 12 months can be found in the table below.
| Approved program | Tenement holder or Operator | Tenement number | Requested change | Location | Approval date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Middleback Range Mining Area | OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Limited operating as SIMEC Mining (Administrators Appointed) | MPL 32 | Pursuant to Section 56U(1) of the Mining Act 1971, the Minister for Energy and Mining grants an approval for a Change in Operations to add, vary or revoke a term or condition of Miscellaneous Purposes Licence 32 to allow for the construction and operation of an access road, the construction and operations of a Waste Rock Dump, and the construction and operations of topsoil stockpiles. Pursuant to Section 56J of the Mining Act 1971, the Minister for Energy and Mining (the Minister) to add, vary or revoke a term or condition of a mineral tenement to which this section applies if the Minister considers that the addition, variation or revocation is necessary — (a) to offset, stabilise, prevent, reduce, minimise or eliminate any potential, perceived or actual undue damage to the environment associated with authorised operations carried out under the tenement; or (b) to ensure consistency with the conditions attached to the Commonwealth Minister's approval (if any) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 of the Commonwealth; or (c) taking into account any other matter prescribed by the regulations | Approximately 50 km south-east of Whyalla | 02/05/2025 |
| Mindarie Mineral Sands Project - Mercunda Strandline | Murray Zircon Pty Ltd | MLs 6137, 6220, 6220, MPLs 77, 79 | As a result of a slower ramp up and commissioning issues associated with Mercunda’s processing plant, mining including pre-stripping of topsoil, subsoil and overburden has progressed ahead of the processing production rate and expected clearing schedule. This has resulted in a larger than expected disturbance area open at any point in time. The scope of the proposed change is limited to the disturbance area and stockpile volumes through operations. The rehabilitation method remains as per that described in MPEPR2022/167. Whilst the rehabilitation method remains the same, the mine and rehabilitation plan and timing requires minor scheduling changes to accommodate variations in plant performance which is a key driver for the provision of rehabilitation material to enable backfilling of the pit. | Approximately 150 km east of Adelaide in the Murray Mallee Region | 17/05/2024 |
All associated documentation can be accessed via the South Australia Mining Register.
