Bendigo Mine Rehabilitation – Landform
Kangaroo Flat, New Moon, Eaglehawk mining and Woodvale Evaporation Ponds sites
Background
Kralcopic Pty Ltd (Kralcopic), a wholly owned subsidiary of GBM Gold Ltd, previously held mining licences around Bendigo, including the Woodvale Evaporation Ponds Complex and sites in Kangaroo Flat, New Moon and Eaglehawk.
In August 2019, Earth Resources Regulation decided not to renew Kralcopic’s three mining licences, due to the company’s inability to provide surety that it could finance its mining activities and site rehabilitation obligations.
In October 2020, the company filed legal proceedings in the Supreme Court challenging the decision not to renew these licences. The Supreme Court later upheld the regulator’s decision not to renew the licences.
On 23 April 2021, the Federal Court of Australia appointed KPMG as Kralcopic’s liquidators.
On 14 May 2021, the liquidator’s lodged papers with ASIC to disclaim Kralcopic’s freehold land at Woodvale Ponds and parcels of land around the company’s former Bendigo mine sites, with the land reverting to Crown land.
Earth Resources Regulation has put a statutory exemption in place to preclude new mining licence applications on the sites while we rehabilitate the sites. The exemption also provides an opportunity for government to consider future uses of the sites in consultation with the City of Greater Bendigo and the local community.
Earth Resources Regulation holds rehabilitation bonds totalling $5.9 million, which it will use to rehabilitate the former mine sites.
Current status
In February 2022, Earth Resources Regulation engaged two independent EPA accredited environmental auditors to review the rehabilitation requirements for the Kangaroo Flat and Woodvale sites.
The auditors, Niboi Consulting and CDM Smith have progressed their reviews of the rehabilitation plans for the Kangaroo Flat and Woodvale sites, respectively and Earth Resources Regulation is in the process of commissioning additional site investigations to finalise the rehabilitation programs for the Kangaroo Flat and Woodvale sites.
Site monitoring and maintenance
Monitoring and maintenance activities are continuing at the former mining sites pending the completion of site rehabilitation.
In September and December 2021, December 2022 and again in February 2023 a polymer dust suppression cover was applied to the fine tailings dam at Kangaroo Flat to reduce dust at the site. The cover is maintained by daily inspections and any gaps addressed if and where required. The area covered is shown in the images below.
The coarse tailings dam has been fully covered with waste rock reducing the dust from this area as part of the site’s rehabilitation works, in accordance with the Kangaroo Flat Mine Closure Plan.
Videos show the application of polymer and no dust movement onsite during windy conditions, demonstrating that the application of polymer is effective.
Dust at the Woodvale Evaporation Ponds Complex is managed through a combination of water, vegetation and mulch cover.
Earth Resources Regulation meets regularly with community representatives, the Woodvale Progress Association.
Environmental monitoring
A specialist environmental firm has been engaged to conduct depositional dust monitoring at both sites to ensure that any potential dust issues are identified, minimised and managed effectively.
The monitoring also gathers baseline data to identify if and where further monitoring and investigation might be required ahead of rehabilitation works.
Samples are taken from multiple locations across the sites, to ensure the data is representative of the conditions of the site. A background monitor for each site has also been placed at a suitable location offsite to provide a background and baseline representation of local conditions. In addition, a weather station was installed at Woodvale to provide local weather information that can be cross referenced with data collected from this site.
The dust monitoring reports are available to download for both Kangaroo Flat and Woodvale Ponds.
Latest reports
Accessible versions of the dust reports are being developed. Accessible versions of the latest documents can be provided on request by emailing ERRFeedback@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Historical reports
Other activities
The former mine sites have been secured with locked gates and signs including regular patrols, and local service providers are being sought for site clean-up and rehabilitation activities.
Community engagement
Earth Resources Regulation will continue to keep nearby residents and the wider Bendigo community updated about the rehabilitation of the former mining sites.
You can register your interest to receive updates on the rehabilitation of these former mining sites by emailing ERRFeedback@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Contact us
We welcome your feedback.
Page last updated: 30 May 2023