The Department for Energy and Mining has a comprehensive program that manages all former mine sites in South Australia. The Former Mines Program was established to document and risk rank former mines in South Australia and currently addresses issues of environmental and public safety through undertaking an audit of desktop analysis, risk assessments and onsite hazard analysis and site inspections.
The department works closely with other government agencies to achieve best practice outcomes for Crown land on which former mines sit, including but not limited to:
- The Deparment for Environment and Water
- The Pastoral Board
- National Parks and Wildlife Service (SA)
- South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board
- SafeWork SA
- Environment Protection Authority (SA)
- Aboriginal Lands Trust
The Mineral Regulations Branch within the department works with new and existing mining and quarrying operations to:
- ensure a mechanism is in place to ensure potential liabilities from unrehabilitated mining and exploration operations do not become a responsibility of the people of South Australia through Financial Assurance
- develop management arrangements for strategic Extractive Areas Rehabilitation Fund issues.
- develop and implement policy and processes related to mine closure, progressive rehabilitation and post mining use.
Key former mines projects
The following key sites are currently being managed by the Minerals Regulation Branch:
