Journal article
Loophole or lifeline? The policy challenges of mines in care and maintenance
The Extractive Industries and Society, Vol.8(3), Art. 100879
2021
Abstract
Care and maintenance (C&M) refers to mines that have closed temporarily. This can be used disingenuously as a loophole to avoid mine closure, or legitimately as a lifeline with the view to recommence mining. This paper focusses on Australia, with a well-developed mining industry, a substantial mining legacy and a growing number of mines due to close. The aim of this paper is to understand and contextualise C&M as a policy challenge, identifying the barriers and constraints to recommence C&M mines and the opportunities and limitations of regulatory options to deliver positive outcomes. The method included policy document analysis followed by semi-structured interviews.
Results suggest C&M policies in Australia are few, unclear and their application limited by the high risk of C&M mines becoming abandoned. Existing policies are unable to address the complexities and vulnerabilities of mines in C&M and do not address the tension between the objective to mine and policy requirements to close mines. The findings suggest a tension between firmer regulation of C&M and a possible increased risk of abandonment. Further policy development for C&M could assist in avoiding future legacy mines but is unlikely to address the existing barriers that prevent mines in C&M from recommencing.
Details
- Title
- Loophole or lifeline? The policy challenges of mines in care and maintenance
- Authors/Creators
- M. Pepper (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityM. Hughes (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityY. Haigh (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- The Extractive Industries and Society, Vol.8(3), Art. 100879
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Identifiers
- 991005543140807891
- Copyright
- © 2021 Elsevier Ltd.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Centre for Climate-Impacted Terrestrial Ecosystems; Harry Butler Institute
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.146 Anthropology
- 6.146.1728 Artisanal Mining
- Web Of Science research areas
- Environmental Studies
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general