August 18, 2026
From Closure Planning to Closure Delivery: The Point Where Integration Really Matters
Mine closure projects can spend years building the technical foundations for closure. Studies are completed. Designs are developed. Approvals are progressed. Closure criteria are refined. Cost estimates evolve. Risks are assessed. All of that work is essential. But there comes a point in the life of a closure project where having more technical information is […]
July 16, 2026
Hunter post-mining land use milestone puts planning pathways on the table, but relinquishment reform still matters
Chris Cooper, Principal Consultant – Mine Closure and Transition The release of the draft Macquarie Coal Complex and Mt Arthur Coal Mine Transformation Precinct Master Plans and state-led rezoning proposals are a significant milestone for the Hunter. “The release of these draft master plans is a major step forward because it begins to turn post-mining […]
July 1, 2026
Closure Cost Estimates: The Number Mining Companies Can No Longer Afford to Misread
Mine closure costs have a habit of arriving late in the conversation. They are often discussed late, challenged late and corrected late. By the time the true cost of closure is properly understood, the mine plan, asset valuation, rehabilitation strategy, accounting provision and public commitments may already have been built around a number that was […]
April 12, 2026
From Liability to Legacy: The Hidden Engineering Challenge of Reusing Mine Sites
Across the mining sector, a quiet but important shift is underway. Mine closure is no longer judged solely on whether a site can be made safe, stable and compliant. Increasingly, the question is whether former mine land can support a second life. That second life could take many forms: renewable energy, industrial redevelopment, water storage, […]
March 20, 2026
NSW’s coal future to 2050: certainty, continued demand and the opportunity in mine land reuse
The NSW Government’s newly released direction for coal mining to 2050 provides one of the clearest signals yet about how the sector is expected to evolve over coming decades. At a high level, the message is balanced but firm. Coal will continue to play an important role in supporting the state economy, regional jobs and […]
February 17, 2026
Mine Closure, Unfiltered: What Works, What Breaks, and the “Gotchas” That Keep Costing Years
Mine closure is often described as the final chapter of a project. In practice, it’s closer to a long-form investigation, part engineering, part governance, part community expectation, part evidence trail. And like any investigation, the outcome is usually decided long before the headline is written. Across multiple closure projects and practitioner discussions, the same themes […]