On Christmas Island this month, I had the pleasure of a tour of the MINTOPE Project. The Mine to Plant Enterprises Project (MINTOPE) is a partnership between Murdoch University, Christmas Island Phosphates and the Commonwealth. "Establishing the scientific basis for introduction of agriculture and plant economies onto Christmas Island, on expired mining leases" Christmas Island's economy has been heavily reliant on mining since settlement in the late 1800s. As mining on the island winds down, the community has been looking to sustainable enterprises which can replace mining in the economy. Two of the main industies under consideration are tourism and horticulture. Nearly all fresh food is i
The Environmental Protection Authority and Department of Mines and Petroleum have revised the Joint Guidelines for Preparing Mine Closure Plans. The mine closure guidelines are a revision of the 2011 guidelines and aim to ensure Western Australian mines can be decommissioned, rehabilitated and closed in an ecologically sustainable way. Western Australian mining operators will have a clearer understanding of the regulatory requirements for closing, decommissioning and rehabilitating mine sites under the new guidelines. A copy of the revised Mine Closure Plan Guidelines and the Mine Closure Plan Checklist are available on the DMP website.
