Completion criteria and risk-based monitoring

Completion criteria are agreed standards or levels of performance used to determine whether rehabilitation has been successful and whether a mine site can progress towards its intended post-mining land use. Establishing criteria that are practical, measurable and appropriate to site conditions is fundamental to effective closure planning.

WABSI brought together mining companies, government and research organisations to address the need for greater consistency in how completion criteria are developed and rehabilitation outcomes are assessed. The project combined stakeholder and industry research, a global review of guidelines and literature, and detailed case studies to develop a robust framework for Western Australian mine sites.

The framework provides a structured approach to identifying rehabilitation objectives, selecting relevant attributes and establishing measurable criteria and monitoring approaches. It is designed to support adaptive management and allow risk assessments and monitoring programs to be refined as knowledge and site conditions change.

The framework is intended to complement existing legislation and guidance and can be applied across different life-of-mine phases, post-mining land uses and spatial domains. It has been endorsed by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety as a tool to assist with developing acceptable completion criteria within mine closure plans.