Who we are
Mine closure and legacy issues
Closing a mine or other operating site does not simply mean shutting down production, rehabilitating the land and walking away. Relationships change and people's livelihoods can be affected, as can the social and environmental programmes established during the life of the mine.
Rio Tinto standards treat mine closure as a multi disciplinary responsibility, involving community relations, human resources, environmental specialists and engineers and financial specialists. Integrating closure planning into all aspects of decision making in a business, from the earliest stages of project development to decommissioning facilities is crucial to leaving a positive legacy of sustainable development.
We understand that our legacy at one site may well determine our future access to land, people and capital at another.
In 2007 we conducted ten reviews to ensure that all our mine closure plans are current and are accurately reflected in the provisions in the financial statements in addition to sustainable development considerations. These reviews included several site visits by multi disciplinary teams.
The acquisition of Alcan brings more than 30 additional operations into the Group. These sites will progressively develop closure plans to meet the requirements of the Rio Tinto Closure Standard and incorporate stakeholder expectations. Alcan has brought valuable expertise in the creation of post closure sustainable value to the Group through proactive stakeholder engagement, life cycle planning, capacity building and application of innovative technology at all stages of mine life.
Through our partnership with the Eden Project, we continued to work with the Post Mining Alliance which aims to encourage and promote the regeneration of old mine sites for the sustainable benefit of the local community and natural environment. The alliance provides us with the opportunity to participate in a multistakeholder discussion intended to address issues regarding abandoned mines, and to encourage good practice across the industry in closing mines.
