The government’s new mining rehabilitation bill will allow a loophole for existing mines to not have to justify plans to leave “non-use management areas” such as pit voids, waste rock and water dumps.
In contrast, new mines must produce evidence including environmental reports to ensure they are safe, cause no environmental harm and can be used for something else after mining.
But Environmental defenders office lawyer Revel Pointon says the new laws do not go far enough as the new framework will not require existing mines to meet a higher level of land rehabilitation compared to what is currently required of them.