Aquatic ecosystems as a post-mining land use

Water infrastructure such as clean water storages, sediment ponds and residual mine voids are often left in place after mining. Water infrastructure can potentially provide aquatic habitat, host functional and sustainable aquatic ecosystems and provide ecosystem services. The Office of the Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner has undertaken work to consider what the attributes of a viable ecosystem are and how aquatic habitat or ecosystem services may be demonstrated.

Publications

Implications for leading practice

• Aquatic ecosystems in post-mining landscapes, May 2024 (PDF, 564.7KB)
  This Implications for Leading Practice document distils the work undertaken on aquatic ecosystems as a post-mining land use and presents our views on how it may be used by those working towards leading practice rehabilitation.

Technical papers

• Aquatic ecosystems in post-mining landscapes , April 2024 (PDF, 1.1MB) .
  This Technical Paper describes assessment criteria that can be used to determine whether mine water infrastructure or mine voids proposed to be left in place after mining could be regarded as healthy, viable and functioning ecosystems.