The Tropicana Gold Mine has a current operating life of mine to approximately 2029/2030 and is expected to result in the disturbance and eventual rehabilitation of more than 3,000 hectares (excluding open pit voids). Successful closure of the project will occur by adhering to the following: enshrining a whole-of-mine life approach to closure; adequately provisioning for closure; allocating responsibilities across the operation and through time; developing an understanding of the local environment; and establish rehabilitation standards by embarking on a programme of research and development that aims to fill in gaps in rehabilitation knowledge.
As part of the Preliminary Environmental Report (PER) documentation a conceptual mine closure and rehabilitation strategy was submitted. This strategy has subsequently been superseded by successive Mine Closure Plans prepared in accordance with the DMIRS Guidelines for Mine Closure Plans. Ministerial Statement 839 conditions require that a Final Closure and Decommissioning Plan is submitted to the EPA at least five years prior to mine completion.
The current TGM Mine Closure Plan proposes a post-mining landuse of “Unallocated Crown Land capable of sustaining native vegetation appropriate to the modified landforms and available rehabilitation materials”. AGAA will continue to engage with stakeholders in relation to mine closure planning and to ensure that stakeholder input is considered in defining the final post-mining land use for Tropicana.
A progressive rehabilitation strategy has been implemented throughout the life-of-mine to date. Rehabilitation trials have been undertaken on completed sections of the western waste landform (LWE) as areas become available in the mine schedule.
