20974 29Metals AR23 WEB V1 - Flipbook - Page 53
2023 key
results
Chair letter and
CEO report
About
29Metals
Our
assets
Mine closure and rehabilitation
The successful rehabilitation of the lands disturbed by
mining activities to a safe and stable landform aligned
with regulatory and community expectations for
closure and post‑mining land use objectives remains
a priority for 29Metals.
Where possible, land disturbed by our opera琀椀ons is rehabilitated
progressively to minimise risks of environmental impacts and
demonstrate the success of proposed land management.
Our mine closure plans (‘MCPs’) include rehabilita琀椀on plans for
disturbed lands, remedia琀椀on requirements for contaminated
lands and end-uses for land and infrastructure. Rehabilita琀椀on and
post-mine land use considera琀椀ons are integral to ini琀椀al approvals
and are progressively updated and implemented during each
mine’s opera琀椀onal life.
As part of Capricorn Copper’s transi琀椀on to the PRCP framework
implemented in Queensland, a gap analysis was completed
in 2023. Studies required for the PRCP are underway with
submission due in June 2024. The analysis and studies that will
be undertaken to support the development of the PRCP include:
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■
■
■
■
■
■
soil studies and rehabilita琀椀on monitoring;
closure speci昀椀c 昀氀oodplain modelling;
groundwater modelling of closure scenarios;
geochemical tes琀椀ng of waste rock;
昀椀nal void water balance assessments;
昀椀nal landform design; and
geotechnical studies.
At Golden Grove, the following MCPs were submi琀琀ed to DEMIRS
during the Repor琀椀ng Period:
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the MCP for the 昀椀昀琀h li昀琀 of TSF3; and
MCPs were developed to incorporate the proposed
Waste Rock Dump (‘WRD’) extension (now approved) and
LOM TSF4 projects (currently under assessment by DEMIRS).
Sustainability
& ESG Report
Mineral Resources
and Ore Reserves
Annual
Financial Report
49
The 2023–2025 Rehabilita琀椀on Plan for Golden Grove will be
updated in 2024 to include the outcomes of the rehabilita琀椀on
material inves琀椀ga琀椀ons conducted by technical experts in
2023. The updates will include a more e昀케cient use of topsoil
and trials of proposed soil blending ra琀椀os. This will allow a
greater understanding of poten琀椀al growth mediums and topsoil
conserva琀椀on leading to be琀琀er rehabilita琀椀on success in the future.
At Golden Grove, a preliminary capping material inventory was
also conducted on the waste rock currently stored on the WRD
to understand its suitability as capping material for the proposed
昀椀nal landforms. Ini琀椀al results indicated the material is suitable
for use in capping to prevent or minimise seepage post closure.
Further detailed material characterisa琀椀on and mapping of material
is scheduled for 2024.
The Golden Grove team also submi琀琀ed the site’s annual Mining
Rehabilita琀椀on Fund (‘MRF’) report to the regulator for the past
昀椀nancial year with no material changes. The purpose of the MRF
is to calculate an annual mining rehabilita琀椀on levy for each of the
mining tenements associated with Golden Grove.
Table 5 shows a summary of disturbed and rehabilitated land at
each opera琀椀ng site for 2023 and the prior corresponding period.
Table 5 29Metals’ operational sites land disturbance
and rehabilitation
Capricorn Copper
Mining lease area (ha)
Disturbance (ha)
Golden Grove
2023
2022
2023
1,293
1,293
12,917
2022
12,917
245
245
723
712
In progress rehabilita琀椀on
area (ha)
0.32
0
0
0
Completed rehabilita琀椀on
area (ha)
15.5
15.5
1.3
1.3
There were no changes to the Capricorn Copper disturbance area,
and a minor area rehabilitated completed during the Repor琀椀ng
Period (0.32 ha). Golden Grove cleared 11 ha of new area to
support approved expansion projects and rehabilitated 429 drill
holes related to the extensive explora琀椀on campaign that took
place over the Repor琀椀ng Period. Note that explora琀椀on drill pads
were previously rehabilitated, with only the holes closed out in
2023. This has signi昀椀cantly reduced the explora琀椀on historical
disturbance area, however, it did not result in an overall increase
in the area of completed rehabilita琀椀on.
