2026 Queensland Mine Rehabilitation,  Water Management, Closure & Environmental Resilience Summit - Day 2

Friday 13th November 2026
Mercure Townsville, Queensland

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Theme

Securing Water Futures in Mining. Strengthening Closure Outcomes. Delivering Climate-Resilient Environmental Stewardship.

 

Abstract Submissions Close

1 August 2026 | 5.00pm AEST

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Submit your Abstract

All abstracts must be submitted via the official online Abstract Submission Form. 

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Why submit?

Queensland’s mining industry is entering a period of intensified water regulation, climate variability and increasing closure complexity, where water management has become central to both operational performance and long-term environmental accountability.

From active mine water circuits to closure-phase pit lakes, tailings systems, and remote water supply infrastructure, the sector is facing growing pressure to demonstrate robust, compliant and climate-resilient water outcomes across the full mine life cycle.

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The 2026 Queensland Mine Water Management, Closure & Environmental Resilience Summit brings together mining operators, regulators, researchers, engineers and environmental specialists to explore the systems, technologies and policies shaping the future of mine water management.

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We invite submissions from industry, government, research organisations and consultants that showcase innovation, operational experience, technical excellence and practical solutions relevant to mine water treatment, reuse, closure planning and environmental protection.

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Presentations may include applied case studies, operational performance insights, regulatory perspectives, technology deployment, closure strategies and emerging best practice.

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Thematic Focus Areas:

1. Mine Water Treatment, Recycling & Closed-Loop Systems

Topics may include:

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• Tailings water treatment and process water recycling systems

• High-rate clarification, filtration and separation technologies

• Ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) applications in mining

• Closed-loop and high-recycle water circuit design

• Compliance-driven water quality management under Queensland approvals

• Integration of water systems into progressive rehabilitation and closure

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2. Remote Water Supply & Modular Treatment Systems

Topics may include:

• Modular reverse osmosis (RO) desalination for mine camps

• Brackish groundwater and seawater treatment systems

• Containerised and skid-mounted treatment plant design

• Energy efficiency and operational resilience in remote environments

• Water security and redundancy planning for mine operations

• Lifecycle performance of decentralised water treatment systems

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3. Mine-Impacted Water Systems & Climate Resilience

Topics may include:

• Acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) under extreme rainfall conditions

• Pit lake evolution and long-term water quality prediction

• Contaminant mobilisation and transport pathways

• Groundwater–surface water interactions in mine closure landscapes

• Monitoring, modelling and early-warning systems for water quality risk

• Climate adaptation in mine water management strategies

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4. Advanced Water Treatment Technologies & Emerging Practice

Topics may include:

• Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and hybrid treatment systems

• Ion exchange and advanced adsorption media

• Membrane technologies for high-salinity and complex waters

• Passive and semi-passive treatment systems (e.g. wetlands)

• Brine, sludge and residual waste management solutions

• Technology scalability from operations to closure environments

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5. PFAS in Mining & Closure Environments

Topics may include:

• PFAS occurrence in mine-impacted water systems

• Groundwater, tailings and soil pathway behaviour

• PFAS treatment technologies (GAC, ion exchange, membranes)

• Destructive technologies (plasma, electrochemical, SCWO)

• Mixed contaminant challenges in mining environments

• Regulatory direction and long-term liability management

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6. Regulatory Reform, Compliance & Closure Frameworks

Topics may include:

• Queensland environmental authority water conditions

• Groundwater protection and evolving compliance expectations

• Critical minerals and State Strategic Projects implications

• Closure liability, financial assurance and residual risk frameworks

• Mine relinquishment and long-term stewardship models

• Alignment of accelerated approvals with closure outcomes

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7. Closure Water Assets, Reuse & Post-Mining Systems

Topics may include:

• Pit lakes, voids and water storage infrastructure reuse

• Transition of mine water assets to regional or third-party use

• Governance and liability transfer frameworks

• Long-term monitoring and stewardship obligations

• Water reuse for agriculture, industry and environmental benefit

• Defining safe and stable post-closure water systems

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Queensland Priority Areas

The Program Committee particularly welcomes submissions addressing Queensland-specific water and closure challenges, including:

• Tailings water treatment and compliance systems in North and Central Queensland

• Closure water management in Fitzroy Basin and similar regulated systems

• Brackish groundwater and remote mine water supply systems

• PFAS risk in mining and legacy infrastructure

• Climate-driven variability in mine water systems

• Integration of water treatment into closure and relinquishment pathways

• Emerging regulatory expectations for groundwater protection

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Submission Requirements

Applicants will be asked to provide:

• Presentation Title

• Proposed Theme / Topic Area

• Presenter Name

• Position Title

• Organisation

• Contact Details

• Speaker Biography (maximum 100 words)

• Abstract Summary (300–500 words)

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Key Learning Outcomes
Previous Speaking Experience (optional)
Selection Criteria

Abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Manager and Committee based on:

• Relevance to Summit themes

• Practical industry value

• Innovation and originality

• Technical quality

• Queensland mining sector relevance

• Applicability to operational water management and closure outcomes

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Preference will be given to submissions that present operational case studies, lessons learned, applied technologies, measurable outcomes and practical solutions relevant to mine water management and environmental performance.

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Notification of Outcome

Successful applicants will be notified following the review process via email

The Program Manager reserves the right to allocate presentations to the most appropriate session and may request amendments to presentation titles or abstracts to align with the final conference program.

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Who should submit?

• Mining Companies

• Water and Environmental Managers

• Mine Closure Specialists

• Hydrologists and Geochemists

• Environmental Consultants

• Regulators and Government Agencies

• Technology Providers

• Researchers and Academic Institutions

• ESG and Sustainability Professionals

• Rehabilitation and Closure Contractors

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Summit Objective

The Summit aims to advance practical understanding and implementation of mine water management, closure systems and environmental resilience strategies across Queensland’s mining sector.

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Through collaboration between industry, government and research sectors, the program will showcase applied technologies, regulatory insights and operational experience that support responsible water management and long-term environmental stewardship.

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Final Note

As water systems become increasingly central to mine design, operation and closure, the mining industry faces growing expectations to demonstrate resilient, compliant and sustainable water outcomes.

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This Summit provides a platform to share knowledge, challenge conventional approaches and showcase the innovations shaping the future of mine water management and closure practice across Queensland and beyond.