AMD Workshop 2021

The theme of this Workshop, Minimising AMD risk across the mining life cycle, highlights the importance of mine planning and early interventions throughout the life of mine to correct potential deviations from AMD management plan or performance. Managing AMD during the operational stage of a project, when the equipment and resources are still largely available, will minimise double handling of materials, is more cost efficient and will facilitate progressive rehabilitation.
The theme of the workshop sits within the broader mine closure and relinquishment context as an integral component of a mining project. Protecting the quality of surface and groundwater through AMD prevention and management still remains the key challenge for mine closure. Our resource industry needs practical and cost-effective solutions for many Australian mines which will close in the coming decades, and also for mines which have already been closed or have defaulted to government responsibility. At the same time, we need to understand the limitations of current technologies for mine waste and water management, particularly in highly disturbed landscapes where AMD processes are at an advanced stage. It is important to develop smart technologies, and robust models to predict water quality when bench-top test results are to be extrapolated to real size waste dumps.  It is equally important to improve the design and construction of mine waste storage facilities to prevent the AMD process in the first place. Above all, we need to get better at developing a business case for AMD management across the life cycle of a project.