Closing the Year: Gratitude and Future Conversations Dear Valued Readers,  As we approach the end of another remarkable year, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the time you have dedicated to reading our Conversations on Closure. We are especially grateful to those who have generously shared their expertise, giving us insights into the depth and diversity of our … Read More

Navigating Legacy Mines: Definition, Remediation, and Opportunities for Responsible Transformation In the mining industry, the term “legacy mine” has evolved to encompass varying references to sites with remnants of historic mining activities. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently introduced the new standard ISO 24419-1, which addresses the management of mining legacies. This standard defines legacy mines as their residual … Read More

Optimizing Critical Minerals Projects: Integrating Life of Mine Planning for Responsible Resource Development A critical minerals strategy helps countries secure a responsible, diverse, and stable supply of critical minerals to support technological advancement, national security, economic growth, and environmental responsibility. The release of Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy in June 2023 provides an opportunity to highlight the similarities between the strategies … Read More

Repurposing Mine Tailings Sand Into Valuable Concrete Aggregates One of the most pressing issues in mine closure is the management of mine tailings, a mine waste byproduct resulting from the extraction and treatment of mineral ores. Traditional mine closure methods often involve depositing mine tailings in on-site tailings storage facilities (TSF), which can present environmental risks such as water quality … Read More

Applying the WABSI’s Ecological Completion Criteria Framework Ecological completion criteria serve as essential benchmarks that guide and define the success of rehabilitation efforts at mine sites, ensuring that the post-closure ecosystem is site-specific and practically achievable. Establishing customized and well-defined ecological completion criteria reinforces responsible mining practices and demonstrates a commitment to long-term environmental stewardship. Developing ecological completion criteria is … Read More

Embracing the Circular Economy Approach in Mine Closure Planning The mining industry is currently confronted with both opportunities and challenges due to the increasing global demand for critical minerals and metals necessary to produce low-carbon technologies such as batteries and solar panels (Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy, 2022). Simultaneously, the industry must respond to rising expectations from stakeholders and affected communities … Read More

Emissions Reduction and Mine Affected Lands Mining operations can have a permanent impact on the landscape. Mining frequently results in landscape impacts including open pits, mine rock piles, tailings storage facilities, and surface opening or adits for underground mining and mine shafts. When planning for closure, these features are often treated as liabilities, with efforts made to remove or eliminate them. For example, a common practice is to push mine rock … Read More

Yukon Mine Closure – New Minerals Legislation The Yukon government is currently considering changes to legislation that governs mining operations in the territory, and one of the key areas of focus is reclamation and closure. At Okane Consultants, we specialize in providing expert advice and services on mine reclamation and closure planning. We believe that sustainable mining practices require comprehensive … Read More

Do NI 43-101 Disclosures Adequately Address Closure Liability? When preparing technical reports following Form 43-101F, any discussion of mine closure risks and liabilities are traditionally limited to item 20, and minimally addressed in item 22; the section that includes the economic analysis of the project. As a result, projects focus economic analysis solely on the extractive development value of the … Read More

How to Identify the Best Returning Land Use Strategy A returning land use objective is a strategic goal for returning mined land to a functional state post-closure. When done effectively, returning land use objectives are identified early in the mine lifecycle to drive the activities required to support: Ecological restoration, The return of land access to Traditional land owners/communities in … Read More