Assessment Process for new Mining Leases (SA Mining Act 1971)

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Assessment Process for new Mining Leases (SA
Mining Act 1971)

May,2006
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Outline

• Legislative requirements
• Assessment process
• Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document
  submitted (completed)
• Statutory Public consultation (completed)
• PIRSA and whole of government assessment of
  proposal (current step)
• Minister considers to offer or reject lease
  (still to come)
• Mining and Rehabilitation Program and
  Environmental Bond assessment (still to come)

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Legislative requirements-2 Stage Assessment
Process

• 1. Mining Lease Application
• Application details mining concept and risks to
  environment, public health and amenity
• Statutory consultation is required
• PIRSA and whole of government assessment
• If to be offered, set rigorous lease conditions
  to protect environment, public health, safety and
  amenity
• 2. Mining and Rehabilitation Program (MARP)
• Specification of constructing, operating, closing
  and rehabilitating mine site in accordance with
  lease conditions
• Details of how environmental risks will be
  managed in perpetuity
• Regularly reviewed during mine life
• (Approvals and licences are also required under
  other environmental and safety Acts before mine
  construction and throughout life of mine)

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Assessment process
Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document
Public Consultation
PIRSA Assessment Minister lease offer/rejection
MARP / Bond Assessment
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Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document

• Description of environment and landscape (detail)

• Description of proposed operations (conceptual)

• Environmental, public health and amenity risk
  assessment

• Environmental, public health and amenity
  outcomes to be achieved (control measures)

• Mine closure and rehabilitation plan (post mine
  land use)
• Submitted by Terramin in November, 2005

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Assessment process
Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document
Public Consultation
PIRSA Assessment Minister lease offer/rejection
MARP / Bond Assessment
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Public consultation

• Statutory consultation on mining proposal
• Landowner, council, public, other govt. agencies
• 6 weeks (10 November 2005 - 23 December 2006)
• Summary of all issues raised compiled by PIRSA
  (Issues document released at CCC 18 May)
• PIRSA recommended actions to be taken by
  applicant to address all issues raised
• Issues document publicly available on 19 May
  (www.pir.sa.gov.au/minerals)
• Applicant directed by PIRSA to respond to issues
  raised in consultation (Terramins response
  document publicly available on 19 May
  (www.pir.sa.gov.au/minerals)

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Assessment process
Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document
Public Consultation
PIRSA Assessment Minister lease offer/rejection
MARP / Bond Assessment
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PIRSA Assessment

• PIRSA undertakes comprehensive review using
  independent technical experts
• PIRSA prepares assessment report in consultation
  with other government agencies (EPA, Health,
  DWLBC (groundwater, River Murray), Transport,
  Planning, Safework SA)
• PIRSA considers lease conditions that would be
  required to address all identified issues (draft
  currently being prepared)
• Reviewed by PIRSAs Tenement Review Committee and
  recommendation made to Director of Mines and to
  Minister for Mineral Resources Development

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Review of assessment report

• Statutory referral for formal review of whole of
  proposal and lease conditions by Development
  Assessment Commission (DAC)
• DAC recommendation to Planning Minister
• Statutory referral to Minister for River Murray
• If Planning and River Murray Ministers agree with
  Mineral Resources Development Minister,
  Government proceeds with offer of lease
• If no agreement, lease application is referred to
  Cabinet for decision

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Assessment process
Mining and Rehabilitation Proposal Document
Public Consultation
PIRSA Assessment Minister lease offer/rejection
MARP / Bond Assessment
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MARP assessment

• If a lease offer is made and accepted by the
  applicant
• Detailed MARP prepared by applicant
• MARP approved or modifications requested by PIRSA
  in consultation with other government agencies
  and CCC
• Environmental bond determined (to cover full
  liability of rehabilitation of land)
• EPA work approval and licence issued
• Other licences E.g water extraction, dangerous
  substances are required

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Any questions?