Public comment on selected environment topic

The Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has announced National recovery plans are open for public comment for the Southern cassowary, and Southern black throated finch (Closes September).

The critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragon has also been rediscovered west of Melbourne. The draft recovery plan will be published on the DCCEEW website.

These recovery plans set out various perceived threats, that include mining, and outline strategies to implement species recovery. Such future measures could include aspects that impinge on exploration or mining.

AusIMM geoscience members, may wish to prepare their own personal submissions to emphasise mining can have both negative and positive environmental impacts on biodiversity.

Open pit mining may not necessarily be “a major threat” but may have a temporary impact, as mine waste dumps are rehabilitated and such rehabilitation can be aimed at improving the environment for selected species.

Submissions may suggest positive impacts, such as mines formally banning hunting, cats, etc. Mines can introduce into employment orientation programs the more focused aspects of biodiversity of particular species.

Links, and selected extracts related to mining and recovery strategies can be found here.