Rehabilitation and Surrender

Progressive Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is intricately woven into the fabric of the sector, going beyond a mere endpoint goal to becoming an integral part of operations from the initial planning phase. This holistic perspective ensures that rehabilitation is a progressively sequenced process throughout the entire life of a project. The petroleum and gas sector follows specific Environmental Authority (EA) conditions and operate under a Plan of Operations. The Plan must be developed in accordance with the new requirements of the Preparing a plan of operations for an environmental authority relating to a petroleum lease guideline and Approved Form, and QRC participated in the development of the guideline.

Mining activities adhere to a comprehensive Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP) as required under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. All rehabilitated mined land must be safe, stable and non-polluting and either be returned to a post-mining land use or managed under an approved non-use management area. PRCP’s must include milestones which cover diverse aspects such as defining a post-mining land use, outlining rehabilitation techniques, mapping anticipated activities, and setting enforceable, time-based milestones. To maintain compliance, routine monitoring and reporting are imperative, including the submission of an Annual Return. The sector transitioned to the PRCP framework as of November 2022.

QRC has played an active role in shaping relevant rehabilitation legislation and guidelines, working regularly with Government, including the Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner who was first appointed in 2021. QRC works with its member companies and Government to drive sensible regulation on rehabilitation through the QRC PRCP Working Group, and the QRC Rehabilitation and Relinquishment Working Group.

Further details relating to the preparation of a PRCP is provided on the Business Queensland website.

Click Here to view Rehabilitation Case Studies

Certification of Rehabilitated Land

Queensland has established a system, authorised under the EP Act, allowing the Government to certify areas post-rehabilitation before surrender and relinquishment, and ensuring compliance and satisfactory completion. Resource companies remain responsible for certified areas until formal surrender, providing regulatory certainty and precluding future changes in requirements. QRC and the resources sector has taken a proactive approach, through the testing of real rehabilitation case studies, to assist the State Government in determining how to best utilise and consistently implement the certification framework.

Financial provisioning and Estimated Rehabilitation Cost (ERC)

Proponents of resource activities in Queensland must make a financial provision to the Financial Provisioning Scheme (FPS), based on an Estimated Rehabilitation Cost (ERC) calculated with the environmental regulator, and then assessed and approved by the Scheme Manager. This payment is a guarantee that the State holds adequate funding for rehabilitation of sites in the event that a person or company defaults on its obligations.

The quantum of financial provision is arrived at through consideration of financial risk and site attributes, categorising risk levels as very low, low, moderate, or high. The Scheme Manager decides whether financial security is via a pooled fund or surety, determined by risk levels. Further information is available on the Business Queensland website. QRC works with its member companies and Government to drive sensible regulation on financial provisioning through the QRC Financial Provisioning Working Group

Residual Risk

While activities undertaken by the resources sector generally continue for many years and in some cases decades, they are still temporary in nature. Upon completion of resource operations and once land has been rehabilitated to a regulated standard by the resource company, EA holders may apply to surrender their tenement by ‘handing back’ mining rights to the Government. Ongoing monitoring and potential rectification may be necessary, so the Queensland Government secures land management funds through a residual risk payment as part of surrender applications. Companies are offered two pathways for residual risk cost estimation, including a calculation tool or an expert panel where the tool is not appropriate.

Non-Operating Mines

‘Care and maintenance’ describes the non-operational status of a mine site with potential for future recommencement of work. It is distinct from the potentially misconceived perception of abandonment and is safeguarded by the financial provisioning framework. The FPS has specific requirements on companies during periods of no production, addressing concerns of premature closure. Companies retain environmental liability until government requirements are met.

‘Abandoned’ mines in Queensland, created before modern regulations, are categorised into legacy and terminated mines. Following concerns raised that about 15,000 abandoned mines exist in Queensland the then Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy’s (now the Department of Resources) conducted an analysis, which QRC fully supports in this context, that identified:

• 120 legacy mines. These sites ceased production prior to the EP Act amendments in 2000 and have features in common with a contemporary mine created by mechanised mining methods.
• Four sites terminated mines. These sites ceased production after the EP Act amendments without fulfilling rehabilitation obligations. That is, as part of liquidation, the mining leases were disclaimed and responsibility for managing the former mine sites and associated liabilities left by the operators has reverted to the State Government. 

The Abandoned Mine Lands Program, administered by the Department of Resources, progressively assesses abandoned mine sites and takes action to reduce significant environmental and public health and safety risks. The Department prioritises funding and rehabilitation for legacy and terminated mines with support from the Fund. In addition to meeting regulated PRCP and ERC requirements which mitigate and minimise the potential risk of future abandoned mines in Queensland, QRC and its member companies remain focused on responsible operations and is committed to working with the Queensland Government, including the Office of the Queensland Mining Rehabilitation Commissioner, to improve rehabilitation outcomes across the industry.

Rehabilitation Research and Development

In addition to regulatory measures, QRC has partnered with the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC-TiME) to bring about meaningful research that can be translated into practical on-ground action in relation to rehabilitation and mine closure. CRC-TiME connects mining companies, various levels of government, community representatives, research institutions and various key stakeholders to drive innovation around the key issues and barriers for mine closure and deliver resilient post mining outcomes.

Minesite Rehabilitation Scholarships

Are you a PhD or Masters student tackling coal mine rehabilitation? This is your chance to contribute to the future of sustainable mining practices in Queensland.

In 2025, two postgraduate scholarships are available for students conducting innovative research to enhance land rehabilitation measures for coal mines in Queensland.

Each scholarship provides $40,000 per year for up to 3 years, covering living expenses and supporting your research journey.