Mining and resource extraction has played an important role in many nations’ economic and social history. Mining has a very significant role in the Australian economy, accounting for more than 70% of the value of Australian goods exported and 40% of the nation’s total investment in 2020/21. However, resources are finite. Planning for mine closure and ensuring a sustainable rural future post mining is emerging as an important global policy consideration. This paper will review case studies of mine closure plans in Australian rural contexts developed through close collaboration between mining companies, policy makers and local communities, focusing on sustainable rural enterprise. Capitalising on skills developed in the mining industry, utilising redundant but nonetheless, potentially useful mining infrastructure and applying those skills and assets to other uses has required imagination, confidence, time and capital investment. This paper will demonstrate there have been successes (and many challenges), creating new business and employment opportunities for rural, regional and remote communities that were previously dominated by mining activities. Successful, sustainable mine re-purposing is a new frontier that must be addressed in the Australian and international contexts to ensure livelihoods and productive re-use of mining land and redundant assets in rural settings.
Mots clés : mining|re-purposing|sustainability|rural|regional
A103523FM