Derelict mines program
Derelict mines are former mining sites requiring rehabilitation where no individual or company can be held responsible for their management or rehabilitation. No particular government agency has statutory responsibility for the rehabilitation of derelict mines, however, NSW Treasury provides annual funds to NSW Trade & Investment to undertake rehabilitation works through the Derelict Mines Program.
The Program commenced in 1974 with an annual allocation of $125,000. The current allocation for the 2011-12 financial year is approximately $2 million.
The Program is administered in consultation with the Office of Environment & Heritage (Environment Protection Authority), the Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Minerals Council. Representatives from these organisations form the Derelict Mines Steering Committee. The Committee meets at least twice annually.
The Committee selects derelict sites for rehabilitation on a priority basis considering risks to public safety, pollution impacts, contamination, erosion or land degradation and public concerns.
The range of rehabilitation works includes detailed site assessments, reduction of safety hazards by fencing and filling shafts, management of water and sediment movement, acid mine drainage management, monitoring and revegetation of the sites. Rehabilitation work has been undertaken in many areas of the state.
Today’s mines are strictly regulated and must lodge a security deposit to cover rehabilitation costs if the mine becomes insolvent. This policy minimises the risk of future derelict mines.
Recent Derelict Mine projects
In 2010-2011, a number of derelict mines were successfully rehabilitated. Some significant projects included:
- North Wisemans Creek, south of Bathurst, is a former gold and talc mine that operated in the 1870’s and on an intermittent basis up until the 1960’s. The site was actively eroding and impacting on the downstream watercourse. Rehabilitation works included drainage controls and re-vegetation with native and introduced species.
- Cordillera Mine near Goulburn is a former lead, zinc, gold and copper mine that first operated from the 1870’s until 1889. Minor prospecting and re-working of ore continued until the 1930’s. The site is contaminated with heavy metals and surface water leaving the site is acidic. The rehabilitation works comprised drainage controls to direct clean surface water away from contaminated areas. The works aimed to improve the water quality and reduce the volume of sediment leaving the site.
- Safety management of open mine shafts in the Torrington State Conservation Area, near Tenterfield. Mining in Torrington started as early as 1880.
Woodsreef Mine Major Rehabilitation Project
The Woodsreef Mine is a derelict asbestos mine 15km east of Barraba in the Northern Tablelands. Open cut mining for asbestos first occurred at Woodsreef Mine between 1918 and 1923 and large scale mining continued between 1970 and 1983.
The NSW Government has provided funding of $6.3 million to address the most significant health, safety and environmental issues with the Woodsreef Mine, including:
- The containment of processed friable chrysotile asbestos
- Removal of the derelict mill, silos, and administration building
- Implementation of a comprehensive air quality monitoring program and health risk assessment before, during and following remediation works
- Investigation is also underway with respect to the viability of continued public access to the Mine Road (Crow Mountain Road).
NSW Trade & Investment has engaged NSW Public Works, Department of Finance and Services to undertake the project management services associated with the demolition works. A number of specialist consultants have been engaged to assist in planning the demolition works and environmental assessments.
The project is expected to be completed by December 2013.
