For Australian mining projects, sustainable groundwater use is typically defined as a groundwater extraction regime, measured over a specified planning time frame, which allows acceptable levels of stress and protects dependent economic, social and environmental values (DEH, 2004)._x000D_
This principle is compatible with most stakeholders' understanding of our national environmental objectives, yet the application of this policy on a project-specific scale is not always straightforward._x000D_
Three examples of sustainability issues in the management of groundwater in mining are presented. These examples highlight each of the three dependent values: environmental, economic and social._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Brandes de Roos, I, 2006. Examples of groundwater sustainability issues in mining, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2006, pp 211-214 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).