July 30, 2025
Mapping the Future of Mine Closure: How Spatial Intelligence and AI Are Rewiring the Way We Close Mines
By Andrew Hutton (based on work by Will Mitry and Erin Littlewood presented at the 2025 AusIMM LOM Conference, Brisbane. In an era of rising environmental expectations, regulatory scrutiny, and climate uncertainty, mine closure is no longer a back-end activity. It is a forward-thinking process that must embed resilience, accountability, and nature-positive outcomes from the […]
July 18, 2025
Cracking the Code on Mining Tenement Relinquishment – we’ve done it! – here’s some tips!
By Andrew Hutton – Managing Director, IEMA In the world of mining, extraction is only half the story. The other half – often less glamorous but just as critical – is what happens when the digging stops and how we can contemplate the transition of mine sites to a beneficial reuse that generates employment and […]
June 15, 2025
NSW Has the Opportunity to Lead on Post-Mining Land Use
Andrew Hutton is Managing Director of IEMA, an environmental and closure advisory firm based in regional NSW. He has nearly 30 years’ experience in mine closure strategy, regulatory approvals, and stakeholder engagement. As New South Wales inevitably confronts the question of what becomes of our former mine sites is no longer academic. Across the Hunter […]
May 13, 2025
What’s Next for Environmental Reform and Climate Policy in Australia?
With the federal election behind us, Australia stands at an important crossroads for environmental reform and climate policy. Over the past term, we saw the Government attempt a bold overhaul of environmental laws and climate frameworks – many of which faced roadblocks in Parliament. As the newly re-elected Government settles in, the direction it takes […]
May 4, 2025
The Draft JORC Code Signals a New Era for Mining: ESG, Closure, and Competent Person Accountability
The Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) has released its draft 2024 Code for public consultation, setting the stage for a step-change in the way Australia’s mining and resources industry communicates project viability and value. This isn’t just a technical update—it’s a fundamental realignment with the modern expectations of investors, regulators, financiers, and communities. The proposed […]
April 19, 2025
NSW’s Next Big Transition: Can Mine Closures Be Our Greatest Opportunity?
A quiet revolution is brewing in the regions of New South Wales. The kind of revolution that could redefine what we do with the thousands of hectares of land left behind by decades of mining — and what kind of future we offer to the communities who live on it. A new report from the […]