Dr Danielle Risbey
Team Leader
Mine Closure & Technical Advice Resource and Environmental Compliance Division Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety Perth, Western Australia
BIOGRAPHY
After completing a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biological Sciences at Murdoch University in 1991 and then a PhD on the impact and control of feral cats in Shark Bay in 2000, Danielle commenced working in the mining industry as an Environmental Consultant in 2000 and joined the DMIRS in 2002. Danielle has led a team of Environmental Officers who regulate mines under the Mining Act 1978 in the Mid-west, Pilbara and Kimberley regions of WA for 15 years.
The team assessed exploration and mining proposals, mine closure plans and undertook environmental compliance inspections.
Danielle recently accepted a new role as the Team Leader Mine Closure & Technical Advice in February 2022. Her new team assesses mine closure plans, develops technical guidance relevant to mine closure and provides training and technical coaching support to the REC Division.
Regulating Mine Closure in Western Australia
Synopsis
The Department of Mines and Petroleum (now Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety) published Guidelines for Preparing Mine Closure Plans in 2011. Since then, the guidelines were revised twice (see current version Mine Closure Plan Guidance) and over 3,800 Mine Closure Plans have been submitted for assessment. This presentation will highlight the key findings from our journey with mine closure in Western Australia (WA) over the past ten years and will cover:
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Our approach to assessing and approving an evolving document such as a mine closure plan;
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Developing guidance to target weak areas of mine closure plans;
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Cultivating effective communication between industry and regulators to clarify expectations on mine closure;
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Demystifying the relinquishment process.
The presentation will conclude with a preview of the next steps planned for regulating mine closure in WA.