ISO TC 82/SC 7 Mine closure and reclamation management: Update 8 to AusIMM members

Since my last update:

1. ISO presented on Mine closure as part of a Just Transition to the UNECE
2. Task Force 1 developed a business case for a standard on social aspects
3. Task Force 2 on ‘water management’ has formed
4. Feedback on the ‘Managing Mining Legacies’ CD standard was received and incorporated, advancing to:
   1. Draft Technical Report (DTR) (Part 2) ballot closed: accepted
   2. Draft International Standard (DIS) (Part 1): open for ballot for acceptance and feedback
5. Vocabulary standard PWI formed
6. International SC7 Mine Closure and Reclamation Management meeting held12 May 2022.

Read on for more information about each of these points.

1 ISO presentation to UNECE

ISO’s Technical Program Manager, Mercè Ferrés Hernández, based in Geneva, presented to the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission) for Europe at the 17th annual session of the Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane and Just Transition on 21-22 March 2022. Her presentation related Just Transition to the family of standards on Mine Closure and Reclamation management. All presentations are available here.

2 Social aspects – NWIP

Task force 1 (TC 82/SC7 TF1) has continued to develop a business case and New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) for a standard that addresses social aspects of mine closure and reclamation. Tania Laurencont is the Convener of TF1. If you would like to join this group to review or comment on the developing business case please email Tania. This task force will conclude this task by mid-2022. If the NWIP is supported, the task force will evolve into a Working Group.

3 Water management – NWIP

A new task force has formed to prepare a business case for a standard on water management of mine closure and reclamation. If you want to find out more about this Task Force 2 (TF2) please contact Bernard Aubé who is based in Canada. If you wish to join TF2 please notify Christopher Fernandez who can formalise your membership so you are kept informed and engaged.

4 Managing Mining Legacies standard: 24419 Part 1 & Part 2

You will recall from the last AusIMM update that the Managing Mining Legacies standard in two parts had advanced past the CD stage in 2021. The next stage involved going to ballot on Part 2 of the standard as a resource referred to as a Draft Technical Report (DTR) (comprising case studies and a bibliography). This DTR was approved and will proceed to publication when Part 1 is completed. Meanwhile Part 1 of the standard has advanced with amendments based on feedback from the CD stage, to DIS (Draft International Standard). The ballot for this DIS is open now: from 15 April 2022 until 8 July 2022.

5 Vocabulary standard ISO 20305:2020 to be updated

As required by ISO, all standards are subject to review and updating. Within this cycle for standards, the Vocabulary standard for Mine Closure and Reclamation Management published in 2020, has begun a 3-year process of review and updating. Anyone wanting to contribute to this process please contact Darren Murphy, who is coordinating this update.

6 SC7 international meeting

Since Covid travel restrictions began, SC7 Mine Closure and Reclamation Management (under TC 82 mining) has held virtual meetings twice a year. The most recent was on 12 May 2022. But it is planned to return to face to face meetings with the next proposed for Sydney in November 2022. To help readers understand ISO acronyms and committee structures I’ve included a few figures.

Images reproduced with permission from Mercè Ferrés Technical Program Manager, ISO, How standards are developed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2er292LRvsw

Past updates for AusIMM

Past updates I have prepared for AusIMM members include:

• Inception of the Australian Mirror Committee for SC7 (Sub-Committee 7)
• Progress through the working groups (WG), March 2018
• Strategic Plan for SC7 and the International Committee held in Shanghai in October 2018, November 2018 
• Mine closure and reclamation management: ISO standard development October 2019
• Mine closure and reclamation management: ISO standard development (update five) May 2020
• ISO TC 82/SC 7 Mine closure and reclamation management: Update No 6 to AusIMM members June 2021
• New standard published under ISO TC 82/SC 7 Mine closure and reclamation management: update 7 to AusIMM members November 2021

Any questions on this article please contact Corinne Unger via AusIMM using the contact form here. If you would like to contact Standards Australia, please email our project manager Christopher Fernandez.