Rhys Worrall

This research aims to develop and apply a sustainability criteria and indicators framework for post-mining landuse planning to legacy mining areas, using an area of former coal mining land near Ipswich, Queensland as a case study. Whilst all pillars of sustainability will be addressed in this study, the primary focus will be on social and environmental aspects.

Legacy mining areas are loosely defined as former mine sites or mining areas which are no longer actively mined and have not been rehabilitated or reused for other purposes. Often these sites are severely disturbed and have been abandoned by previous owners who no longer have responsibility for the sites. It is estimated over 100 such sites exist in Queensland which are in need of some form of rehabilitation or management. In the absence of active owners, this responsibility falls to the state government.

The case study area is located in Ipswich, 27km west of Brisbane, in an area of rapid population growth and urbanisation. Over 2000 hectares of former coal mining land exists in the area, some of which is being used for other purposes such as waste disposal and clay mining, but much of which remains disturbed and un-rehabilitated. Public safety and environmental impacts such as dust, noise, odour and erosion are issues. Plans exist to use some of the land for further industrial uses, but this is influenced by complicated patterns of land ownership and responsibility. With future urban development plans virtually encircling this area, there is a need for landuse planning to take careful note of community needs, environmental protection and economic development of the area.

This research proposes to develop a post-mining landuse approach that supports decision makers in determining sustainable outcomes for legacy mined land. This will be done by developing a sustainability framework based on current best practice for measuring sustainability as described in the literature (particularly in other resource sectors like agriculture and forestry), applying the framework to the case study area, and assessing the results through the use of expert stakeholders. To date, the mining industry and government regulators have made little effort to apply the sustainability paradigm to address legacy issues associated with past mining operations.

• R. Worrall, D. Neil, A. Grigg and D. Brereton (2004). Legacy mining areas on the urban fringe: a study of Ipswich, Queensland. Proceedings, JKMRC International Student Conference, September 6-7, Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane.
• R. Worrall and A. Grigg (2003). Past, present and future: sustainable environmental management of Ipswich district open cut coal mines, Queensland. Poster presentation, MCA Annual Sustainability Workshop, October Brisbane.
• S. Xue, R. Worrall and C. Mallett (2001). Forecast coal mine methane (CMM) in the Bowen Basin, Australia. Proceedings of the 2001 International CMM/CBM Investment and Technology Symposium/Expo, November 7-8, Shanghai, China.
• M. Mark and R. Worrall (2000). Greenhouse gas key performance indicators for Australian coal mines. Proceedings of the 4th International/25th Annual MCA environmental workshop, Perth, Oct 29-Nov 2, 2000.
• M. Mark and R. Worrall (2000). Greenhouse gas key performance indicators for Australian coal mines. 5th International conference on greenhouse gas control technologies, Cairns, August 13-16, 2000.