Review of mine rehabilitation condition setting in WA

Rehabilitation conditions are an important mechanism for defining what mining companies are expected to achieve as they restore land and close operations. Yet conditions applied across mine sites can vary considerably, and requirements are not always framed as clearly measurable or achievable targets.

WABSI commissioned researchers from The University of Western Australia to collect and analyse publicly available information on mine rehabilitation and closure conditions recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The project created a baseline dataset of conditions applied across Western Australia, providing an evidence base for understanding how rehabilitation expectations are currently being set.

The review found that rehabilitation conditions can sometimes function more as aspirational objectives or performance management tools than as clearly defined targets that can be demonstrated and assessed. Establishing a clearer picture of existing practice provides an opportunity to improve the consistency, transparency and practicality of future conditions.

The resulting report and dataset provide a resource for government, industry and researchers working to strengthen mine rehabilitation and closure practice in Western Australia. Better evidence about how conditions are currently framed can support more realistic expectations, improve monitoring and assessment, and contribute to greater confidence in rehabilitation outcomes over the life of a mine.