Programs for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR)

Both mines have operated since the 1940s, long before the Mine Act 1978 was introduced. As such, an absence of historical records of environmental change over the duration of mining operation created challenges with writing PEPRs for the mines. Eco Logical Australia’s mine closure experts were recruited to collaborate with Sibelco staff to write PEPRs for each mine that would ensure approval of the PEPR and enable progression of the mine closure process.

Project Update

In early 2024 Sibelco in Australia officially achieved ‘mine completion’ and surrendered the Oraparinna Barite mine site, located within the northern Ikara-Flinders Ranges, to the South Australian government.

Sibelco Australia commenced a process in 2020 to fully rehabilitate and relinquish all of its legacy mining tenements across Australia and to surrender them back to various State Governments.

For eight of the Sibelco Australia sites, the ELA team, within a five year time period, was tasked with:

• developing robust closure strategies encompassing activities such as studies, modelling, and field trials, and also
• implementing the closure strategies physically, including decommissioning and site rehabilitation. 

The dawn of a new era

The Oraparinna Barite site operated both as an open-cut and underground mine since 1940 until its cessation in 2006, has now reached its completion milestone.

The site now forms part of the Bunkers Conservation Reserve, utilised and overseen by the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby Preservation Association.