Mines and Environment Breakfast
Wed 29th July 2026
Invisible Liability of
Mine Closure
Groundwater and Long-Term Environmental Risk
Venue: Frasers Function Centre
60 Fraser Ave, Kings Park WA
Thank you to all who attended this event.
This event has concluded
OVERVIEW
As mine closure obligations continue to evolve, the mining industry is facing a new generation of environmental, financial and governance challenges that extend far beyond the end of production.
Increasing regulatory expectations, investor scrutiny and community demands are placing greater emphasis on how mining companies manage long-term environmental liabilities, particularly those associated with groundwater, tailings, rehabilitation and post-closure land use.
The Mines & Environment Breakfast brings together mining companies, environmental professionals, government representatives, consultants, engineers, financial leaders and technology specialists to examine how organisations can better identify, manage and reduce these long-term risks while creating lasting environmental value.
Held at Frasers Kings Park in Perth, this executive breakfast explores the transition from traditional rehabilitation towards integrated mine closure strategies that combine environmental stewardship, financial accountability and innovation.
Through expert presentations and panel discussion, delegates will gain practical insights into emerging environmental markets, advances in robotic technologies for tailings and water management, accounting for closure liabilities, and the growing significance of groundwater in long-term mine closure planning.
The program highlights the importance of collaboration across environmental, operational, financial and governance disciplines to ensure mine closure is planned from the earliest stages of a mine's lifecycle rather than treated as an end-of-life obligation.
Delegates will leave with a stronger understanding of how environmental liabilities influence corporate strategy, ESG reporting, financial provisioning and social licence to operate, while exploring practical approaches to reducing long-term risks and creating positive environmental outcomes beyond mining.
Background
Mine closure is no longer viewed simply as the rehabilitation of disturbed land. Across Australia, closure planning is increasingly recognised as a strategic business issue requiring integrated environmental, financial and governance decision-making throughout the life of a mining operation.
Groundwater recovery, pit lakes, long-term water quality, tailings management and environmental monitoring are becoming some of the most significant uncertainties affecting mine closure planning. At the same time, evolving environmental markets, biodiversity initiatives and nature-positive frameworks are creating opportunities to transform former mine sites into long-term environmental assets.
This breakfast has been developed to explore these emerging challenges and opportunities, providing practical knowledge from leading industry experts on how organisations can better prepare for the future of mine closure.
Who should attend?
This executive breakfast has been designed for professionals involved in mine planning, environmental management, water management, governance and mine closure, including:
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Mining Company Executives
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Mine Managers and General Managers
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Environmental Managers
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Mine Closure Managers
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Sustainability and ESG Professionals
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Hydrogeologists and Groundwater Specialists
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Water Resources Managers
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Tailings and Water Infrastructure Engineers
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Environmental Consultants
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Rehabilitation Specialists
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Geotechnical Engineers
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CFOs and Finance Executives
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Audit, Risk and Assurance Professionals
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Corporate Governance and Legal Advisors
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Government Regulators and Policy Makers
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Traditional Owners and Community Engagement Professionals
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Mining Consultants
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Technology and Robotics Providers
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Environmental Scientists and Researchers
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Investors and Financial Institutions with mining portfolios
This breakfast provides a valuable opportunity to hear from industry leaders, exchange ideas with peers and better understand the environmental, financial and operational implications of mine closure in an increasingly complex regulatory and ESG landscape.
Keynote Speakers
GHD
Technical Director Hydrogeology
Deloitte
Partner | Audit & Assurance
Lead Partner - WA, SA, Tas, NT
A&A National Mining & Metals Leader
Marsden Jacobs Associates
Director Environmental Policy, Economics & Regulatory Reform
Emiritus Professor of Law
University of Western Australia
Dredge Robotics
CEO
Agenda
7.10am - 7.25am
Registration and Arrival
7.30am – 7.50am
Sit Down Breakfast and networking
7.50am – 8.00am
Welcome and Introductions
8.00am - 8.15am
Beyond Closure: The Long-Term Groundwater Legacy of Mining
Dr Alyssa Barron
GHD
While mining operations may last only a few decades, the groundwater systems they alter can take centuries to recover - if they recover at all.
This session explores how mine dewatering, groundwater recovery and pit lake evolution continue to shape environmental risk long after production has ceased.
It examines why groundwater must be considered a core element of mine closure planning and how long-term hydrogeological impacts are influencing environmental liability, rehabilitation strategies, and future land use across Western Australia.
8.15am – 8.40am
Nature-Positive Mine Closure: Creating environmental value beyond rehabilitation
Alex Marsden
Marsden Jacobs Associates
This session explores how mine closure is shifting from traditional rehabilitation into a broader opportunity to deliver measurable environmental value.
It examines the rise of biodiversity credits and emerging environmental markets, including the Nature Repair Market, and what these frameworks mean for future closure planning.
Discussion will focus on practical approaches to ecological restoration and ecosystem recovery, and how success is increasingly defined beyond regulatory compliance.
The session will also consider growing investor and community expectations for credible, transparent environmental outcomes, and how these are influencing closure strategies.
Finally, it will highlight nature-positive post-mining land use approaches that aim to transform closure sites into long-term environmental assets rather than liabilities.
8.45am - 9.05am
Reducing Risk in Tailings and Water Storage Facilities using Robotics
Antony Old | CEO
Dredge Robotics
As mining operations face increasing pressure to improve water stewardship and reduce long-term closure liabilities, technology-enabled intervention is transforming how tailings and water systems are managed during operations.
This session explores how robotic and remote technologies are being used to manage sediment build-up, optimise water recovery, and maintain infrastructure performance while reducing shutdown requirements and personnel exposure to hazardous environments.
Key Discussion Areas:
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Robotic and remote systems in tailings and water management
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Sediment control and maintaining storage capacity in active operations
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Improving water recovery and operational efficiency
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Reducing shutdown requirements and personnel exposure risk
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Linking operational intervention to closure readiness outcomes
9.05am - 9.20am
Q & A
9.20am - 9.30am
Morning Break
9.30am - 9.55am
From Environmental Risk to Financial Reality: Accounting for Mine Closure Liabilities
Ian Skelton
Partner, Audit & Assurance
Deloitte
Mine closure obligations are becoming increasingly complex as environmental risks translate into significant financial exposures.
Groundwater recovery, long-term water management, rehabilitation obligations and post-closure monitoring are no longer solely technical issues -they are material liabilities that influence financial reporting, investment decisions, governance and corporate strategy.
Building on the technical challenges explored in the previous session, this presentation examines how evolving accounting standards, ESG expectations and regulatory scrutiny are reshaping the way mining companies estimate, report and manage mine closure liabilities. Delegates will gain practical insights into closure provisioning, financial assurance requirements and the increasing importance of transparent long-term liability management.
Key Discussion Points
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Understanding closure provisions versus financial assurance.
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Accounting for long-term groundwater and environmental liabilities.
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IAS 37, Asset Retirement Obligations (ARO) and evolving accounting practices.
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Estimating uncertainty in long-term closure costs.
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Governance, investor expectations and ESG reporting.
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Future directions for mine closure accounting.
10.00am - 10.30am
The Invisible Liability: Groundwater, Mine Closure and Long-Term Environmental Risk
Professor Alex Gardner
UWA
Groundwater is increasingly recognised as one of the defining challenges of modern mine closure.
Decades of mine dewatering have altered regional aquifers, influenced water-dependent ecosystems and created long-term environmental obligations that may persist well beyond the operational life of a mine.
This session explores how groundwater recovery, pit lakes and post-closure water management are reshaping closure planning across Western Australia.
It will emphasize the importance of Legal rights for community consultation
10.30am - 10.45am
Panel Q&A
10.45am - 11.00am
Close
Disclaimer :
Please note that the Conference program serves as a guide.
Mines and Environment will make every reasonable effort to adhere to the advertised schedule, speakers, and topics; however, we reserve the right to modify the program, substitute speakers, or adjust session content at any time without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the Speaker unable to attend in person
Mines and Environment accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or expenses incurred as a result of changes to the event format, program, speakers, or schedule.
Certificates of Attendance can be provided at request.