7.5.2 TSF Rehabilitation The amendment does not propose any changes to rehabilitation strategies or objectives in a way that results in different impacts on environmental values or increases environmental harm than what is previously permitted under the EA. All disturbed areas the subject of this amendment application will be rehabilitated or restored to achieve sites that are: ∕ Safe to humans and wildlife; ∕ Non-polluting; ∕ Stable; and ∕ Able to sustain an appropriate land use after rehabilitation or restoration. This amendment seeks to build upon the rehabilitation commitments that exist for the Sandstone Gully TSF on the basis that the tailings properties for the Upper Mundic Gully TSF are similar as they originate from the same processing plant, however recognise a different land outcome for final rehabilitation. Both TSFs shared similar geometries in that they are valley TSFs that ultimately reduce stability risks as they leverage existing landforms as buttresses whilst limiting seepage of surrounding historically placed waste material. Heritage Minerals submitted a PRCP for the Mount Morgan Mine site to respond to a Not Properly Made notice on 30 May 2025. At the time of this EA amendment application submission, the PRCP was deemed properly made and a request for information had been issued to Heritage Minerals. Although the PRCP schedule is not approved, many TSF specific rehabilitation methods from the PRCP have been relied upon to inform this amendment application. Appropriate Land Use The DNRMMRRD medium and long-term remediation strategies for the site do not contemplate an ongoing active use for these areas at the completion of Heritage Minerals' reprocessing activities. On the contrary, Heritage’s reprocessing activities are themselves reflected as the remediation outcome for this land, supporting the position that there is no further active use for the land following the completion of Heritage’s activities. 7.5.2.1 On 6 February 2025, DETSI made an amendment by agreement to Table F2 of the EA to require a rehabilitation outcome of 'land management monitoring and maintenance of rehabilitated areas' for all mine features. This is consistent with DETSI’s Information Sheet – Non-Use Management Areas (ESR/2019/4954). An outcome of 'land management monitoring and maintenance of rehabilitated areas' confirms that the land cannot be rehabilitated to support another use that is unrelated to mining. The outcome for the land is simply the monitoring of mined areas. Like all land forming part of the Mount Morgan Mine Site which is managed under the AMLP, the areas to be used on an interim basis by Heritage Minerals under the EA will not have a ‘post-mining’ land use. Heritage Minerals is translating that outcome to a Non Use Management Area (NUMA) under the PRCP for all mine features. For the purposes of this EA amendment, the land outcome for the Upper Mundic Gully TSF mine feature is proposed as a Post Mining Land Use (PMLU) instead of a NUMA. A NUMA can only be nominated after all PMLU options have been assessed and it is considered that the land cannot be rehabilitated to a stable condition. Achieving a PMLU outcomes for the Upper Mundic Gully TSF, although inconsistent with all other mining domains occurring at the site, is proposed to align to the extent practical with the Mined Land Rehabilitation Policy whereby rehabilitating the Upper Mundc Gully TSF does not pose a greater environmental risk that not rehabilitating. As the existing EA does not contemplate a PMLU justification is required to be provided within this amendment application to demonstrate the most appropriate land outcome that can be achieved for the site, recognising the various policy and land constraints that exist. These constraints include
Project number: 25B061
Page 154
Powered by FlippingBook