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Mine Closure Plan Review and Benchmarking – Gold Mining Client

CDM Smith conducted a companywide review and benchmarking of Mine Closure Plans across multiple Western Australian operations, aligning them with 2024 Draft Guidelines. 

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Juliano Miranda BEnvSci
Senior Environmental Scientist

Mine Closure Plan review and benchmarking aligned with WA guidelines 

CDM Smith applied a structured, data-driven approach to review all existing Mine Closure Plans (MCPs) for the client’s Western Australian operations. Using a custom Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) framework built on the 2024 Draft Guidelines, each MCP was assessed for compliance, structure, and quality. Benchmarking against five peer operations enabled the development of standardized completion criteria, performance indicators, and monitoring methodologies to drive consistent, high-quality closure planning. 

Comprehensive closure plan assessment

Delivered a detailed review of all Mine Closure Plans across the client’s Environmental Group Sites, assessing completeness, structure, and regulatory compliance. The analysis identified key areas for improvement and aligned all plans with the latest Draft Guidelines for Preparing Mine Closure Plans (2024).

Custom multi-criteria analysis framework

Developed a bespoke MCA framework and scoring system tailored to closure plan assessment. This structured, quantitative approach enabled transparent comparison across multiple MCPs and highlighted best-practice elements that can be replicated across operations.

Industry benchmarking and insights

Reviewed five benchmark Mine Closure Plans from other mining operations to identify industry-leading approaches and innovation opportunities. The benchmarking exercise provided the client with comparative insights to enhance its internal closure strategy and achieve regulatory excellence.

Standardized tools and methodologies

Established standardized completion criteria, performance indicators, and rehabilitation monitoring methodologies applicable across multiple sites. These tools enhance consistency, enable performance tracking, and ensure closure outcomes are measurable and defensible.

CDM Smith was engaged by a gold mining client to conduct a companywide review of all current Mine Closure Plans (MCPs) across its Western Australian operations. The objective was to assess compliance, structure, and consistency with the 2024 Draft Guidelines for Preparing Mine Closure Plans. CDM Smith designed and applied a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) framework and scoring system to evaluate each plan and identify improvement opportunities. The review covered several Environmental Group Sites and incorporated benchmarking against five other mining operations to capture industry best practices. Outcomes included a comprehensive Summary of Results report detailing key findings, as well as recommendations for updates and refinements. CDM Smith also developed standardised completion criteria, performance indicators, and rehabilitation monitoring methodologies to drive consistency and enable robust progress tracking. The project demonstrates CDM Smith’s capability in strategic closure planning, quantitative assessment, and regulatory alignment across complex, multi-site portfolios. 

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Juliano Miranda

Senior Environmental Scientist

Juliano Miranda is a Senior Environmental Scientist specializing in groundwater, field sampling, and environmental approvals for government and industry.

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