GHD @ AusIMM Life of Mine Conference 2023

As we strive for a sustainable and resilient future, repurposing assets has become a top priority. In Australia alone, we have a significant number of mineral projects in the pipeline, extensive existing operations, and over 50,000 legacy sites. Collectively, this presents a unique opportunity to be a world leader in mine rehabilitation. Complex stakeholder landscapes, inflexible policies, aged regulatory frameworks, technical uncertainties and increasing liabilities are all barriers hindering effective transition of legacy assets. The impetus for change is further catalysed by shifting consumer preferences, workforces in flux and regional Australians questioning what the transition means for their local community. We need innovative approaches to take a leading role in the industry and support global efforts more broadly. Co-designing an ambitious, shared vision spanning projects, operations and legacy assets with all key parties is a fundamental step to unlock and realise maximum societal, environmental, economic and reputational value. Serious play and gamification can further enhance this visioning process.

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Authors: 

• Sylvain Emeric - Global Practice Director, D-Lab

• Emma Jones - Innovation Manager, D-Lab

• Phil Baker - Executive Advisor - Transactions, Strategy and Commercial

• Dave Clark - Australian Mining Leader

• Stephanie Grant - Manager of Digitial Innovation, D-Lab

The Yallourn Mine (YM) commenced mining of brown coal in the 1920s under operation by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV), prior to it becoming privatised in 1996. The present owners of the YM, Energy Australia Yallourn (EAY), acquired the site in 2000 and intend to continue operations until scheduled closure in 2028. Brown coal extracted from the YM is fed into the Yallourn Power Station which supplies approximately 22 per cent of Victoria’s electricity. Water within the YM is collected and stored in the Township Field Fire Service Pond. Water levels within the Fire Service Pond (FSP) may fluctuate considerably depending on the requirement for storage at the site. With due consideration to the stability performance of mine batters adjoining the FSP, the authors performed slope stability assessments to evaluate the risk and consequence of batter instability during the potential pond filling as it approaches the ‘critical pool’. The critical pond is defined as the level at which the driving forces (destabilising forces) are at their greatest and the resisting forces (lake forces, friction) are at their lowest. This assessment was undertaken using the Mine Geotechnical Risk Index (MGRI) approach.

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Author: 

• Sanjive Narendranathan - Technical Director - Mine Geotechnical Engineering

• Nirav Patel - Senior Geotechnical Engineer

• James Butler - Geotechnical Engineer

"The Tent Mountain Renewable Energy Complex development is a novel, real world approach to re-imagining and then physically re-purposing an idle coal mine. It takes advantage of natural topography and previously disturbed areas, market and political support for both clean hydrogen fuel and a grid stabilizing energy storage system.

The development is one that achieves many objectives across Indigenous, social, political, environmental, and energy transition elements. Importantly, it is a both financially viable and technically feasible decarbonization.

It is a compelling transformation that is an example of what is possible when multiple, diverse skills and thinking are brought together to solve a complex challenge of transforming a legacy mine."

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Author: 

• Ben Saffron - Transaction Executive Advisor