Transition or transformation: shifting priorities and stakeholders in Australian mined land rehabilitation and closure

This article is a retrospective study of the shifting priorities and stakeholders over the last four decades of Australia’s mine rehabilitation and closure practices. We map the evolution of knowledge, stakeholder involvement, and community awareness of mining socio-environmental risks and impacts to show how mine rehabilitation and closure practices have evolved over time. We conclude that shifting priorities have transitioned through three phases as understandings of the priorities for successful closure evolved. An initial focus on biophysical rehabilitation within the boundaries of individual mines has extended to currently attend to management of risks that extend beyond the boundaries and include social dimensions. These practices are guided by a desire for improved engagement processes and agreement on outcomes for post-mining landscapes.