Closure
Closure planning is an essential part of the life cycle for every operation, to ensure we achieve sustainable development objectives when a mine or plant comes to the end of its working life. Good performance in closure management can enhance our reputation and enable us to maintain access to land and capital, to continue establishing new projects with the support of local communities.
Closing an operation does not simply mean shutting down production, rehabilitating the land and relinquishing ownership to regulators and communities. People's livelihoods can be affected, as can the social and environmental programmes established during the life of the operation.
Our Closure standard covers the design, development, operation and closure of all our operations to ensure that we leave a positive legacy. Under the requirements of the Closure standard, business decisions taken from the earliest stages of project development must integrate closure considerations to minimise financial, social and environmental risk from the outset.
- Approach
- Planning
- Engagement
- Results
When one of our operations reaches the end of its life, we believe that our legacy should include a positive contribution to sustainable development.
We use multi disciplinary teams to develop, implement and review closure plans. These teams include experts in community relations, human resources, environmental management, finance and engineering. Our closure management plans are progressively updated and reviewed every five years throughout the life of the operation to make sure that they continue to address key risks and financial provisions for eventual closure accurately.
Closure management plans and review outcomes are subject to an external audit process. Guidance and best practice examples of closure planning identified through closure management plan reviews are shared throughout Rio Tinto to improve performance.
Closure as a component of mine life planning
- Closing a mine does not simply mean shutting down production, rehabilitating the land and walking away. People's livelihoods can be affected, as can the social and environmental programmes established during the life of the mine.
- See all "Our approach" features
