Erosion and Rehabilitation Trial for Arrow Energy

The Murrin Murrin Nickel Cobalt Project

Minara Resources Wins highest award possible, a Golden Gecko

Under the title of “A framework for excellence in rehabilitation’, work at Minara Resources’ Murrin Murrin Nickel Operation was awarded a Golden Gecko at the presentation ceremony in Perth. The Golden Gecko Awards have grown to become the most prestigious awards for environmental excellence in the Western Australian mineral and petroleum industries.

Landloch has been at the forefront of developments in minesite landform design in WA for the last ten years, and are proud to have been part of the successful Murrin Murrin environmental team. Its continuity, cohesion, and passion for excellence are simply outstanding.

In a closing address to the Golden Gecko committee when they visited the site, Landloch Principal Consultant Dr Rob Loch and Murrin Murrin’s Environmental Manager Tim Stevens noted that the work was highly innovative, showcased world’s best practice, and provided leadership to the WA mining industry by offering a clearly improved model for the management of rehabilitation by mine sites and regulators.

The award-winning project included:
  • Development of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework to guide planning, construction, monitoring and eventual relinquishment of minesite landforms; 
  • Design and construction of concave waste dump batters with strategic placement of materials to minimise risk.
  • Ongoing soil erosion monitoring and modelling to monitor landform stability through time;
  • Application of improved standards for assessment of ecosystem development;
  • Appointment of a rehabilitation specialist to work with the site’s mining section to ensure optimal construction of landforms and reduce costs.

Minara Resource’s Environmental Manager Tim Stevens said the award was the culmination of several years of research into improving the stability of Murrin Murrin’s landform design, including a transparent KPI process that is auditable for bond relinquishment. 
 
Other information:
Loch, R., Stevens, T., Wells, G., and Gerrard, R. (2006) Development of key performance indicators for rehabilitation, Murrin Murrin Operation. Fourie and Tibbett (Editors), Proceedings of the First International Seminar on Mine Closure, 13-15 September 2006, Perth, pp. 569-576, University of WA.

Stevens, T. (2006). The development of key performance indicators for progressive rehabilitation at the Murrin Murrin nickel/cobalt operation. Proceedings Goldfields Environmental Management Workshop, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, pp 112-120.

Loch, R.J. and Lowe, S.M. (2008). A logical framework for design, construction, and rehabilitation of minesite waste rock dumps. A. Fourie (Editor), Proceedings of the First International Seminar on the Management of Rock Dumps, Stockpiles, and Heap Leach Pads, 5-6 March 2008, Perth, Australia, pp 257-265, Australian Centre for Geomechanics.

Loch, R.J., Vacher. C.A., and Lowe, S.M. (2008). Topsoil organic carbon and nutrient considerations for waste dump rehabilitation. Proceedings, Goldfields Environmental Management Workshop, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, pp. 102-108.
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Rob Loch, pictured far left, at the Golden Gecko Awards Presentation for Environmental Excellence in Western Australian mining.
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Concave slope at Murrin Murrin Nickel Operation soon after construction.
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The project was featured as a case study in the Australian Government's Mine Rehabilitation handbook.