Adapting to Climate Risks and Extreme Weather: a Guide for Mining and Minerals Industry Professionals
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Synthesis and Integrative Research Final report Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: a guide for mining and minerals industry professionals Leah Mason, Corinne Unger, Aleta Lederwasch, Hala Razian, Laura Wynne and Damien Giurco ADAPTING TO CLIMATE RISKS AND EXTREME WEATHER: A GUIDE FOR MINING AND MINERALS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS Institute for Sustainable Futures (University of Technology, Sydney) Authors Leah Mason (University of Technology, Sydney) Corinne Unger (The University of Queensland) Aleta Lederwasch (University of Technology, Sydney) Hala Razian (University of Technology, Sydney) Laura Wynne (University of Technology, Sydney) Damien Giurco (University of Technology, Sydney) Published by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility ISBN: 978-1-925039-24-5 NCCARF Publication 53/13 © 2013 University of Technology, Sydney This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the copyright holder. Please cite this document as: Mason, L, Unger, C, Lederwasch, A, Razian, H, Wynne, L, Giurco, D, 2013, Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: a guide for mining and minerals industry professionals, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp.79. Acknowledgement This work was carried out with financial support from the Australian Government (Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency) and the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility. The role of NCCARF is to lead the research community in a national interdisciplinary effort to generate the information needed by decision makers in government, business and in vulnerable sectors and communities to manage the risk of climate change impacts. Disclaimer The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Commonwealth or NCCARF, and neither the Commonwealth nor NCCARF accept responsibility for information or advice contained herein. Cover image: Ensham Mine and Rehabilitation, courtesy of Tyson Stelzer and Ensham Resources Figure 4 used with permission from CSIRO. CSIRO does not guarantee that the material or information it has provided is complete or accurate or without flaw of any kind, or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise directly or indirectly from you relying on any information or material it has provided (in part or in whole). Any reliance on the information or material CSIRO has provided is made at the reader's own risk. CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 WHY THIS GUIDE? ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 USING THIS GUIDE ...................................................................................................................................... 1 2 CHANGING CLIMATE AND EXTREME WEATHER: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR PLANNING AND PREPARATION ................................................................................................................................................. 2 2.1 CHANGING CLIMATE-RELATED RISK ....................................................................................................... 2 2.2 CHANGING COSTS ................................................................................................................................ 2 2.3 CHANGING RISKS FOR STAKEHOLDERS .................................................................................................. 2 3 FLOODING AND STORMS ....................................................................................................................... 3 3.1 RISKS AND IMPACTS ............................................................................................................................. 3 3.2 FLOODING AND STORM CASE STUDIES ................................................................................................... 4 3.2.1 Flooding Case study 1.1: Ensham Mine ........................................................................................ 4 3.2.2 Flooding case study 1.2: Baralaba Mine ....................................................................................... 5 3.2.3 Flooding case study 1.3: Yallourn Coal Mine ................................................................................ 6 3.2.4 Flooding case study 1.4: Fimiston Open Pit (Superpit) Mine ........................................................ 7 3.3 CASE STUDY DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................... 8 3.4 ANTICIPATING DISASTROUS CHANGE: INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLES OF ADAPTATION OPTIONS ...................... 8 3.5 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: LONG-TERM TRENDS FOR FLOODING AND STORMS .......................................... 9 3.5.1 Sea-level rise, storms and flooding ............................................................................................... 9 3.5.2 Long-term trends in sea-level rise ............................................................................................... 10 3.6 KEY CONCEPTS FOR SEA LEVEL RISE AND COASTAL STORMS ................................................................ 10 3.6.1 Thermal expansion of water and sea level rise ........................................................................... 10 3.6.2 Understanding sea level, storm surge and flooding .................................................................... 11 3.7 RAINFALL, STORMS AND FLOODING ...................................................................................................... 11 3.7.1 Long-term trends in rainfall .......................................................................................................... 11 3.7.2 Impacts from changes to rainfall .................................................................................................. 12 4 FEATURE: FLOODING AND ABANDONED MINES ............................................................................. 13 4.1 ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF MANAGING ABANDONED MINES DURING FLOODING EVENTS ........................ 13 4.2 EXTREME RAINFALL AND ABANDONED MINES ........................................................................................ 13 4.3 SOLUTIONS AT DIFFERENT SCALES ...................................................................................................... 13 4.3.1 Site level management ................................................................................................................ 13 4.3.2 National level framework ............................................................................................................. 14 4.3.3 Jurisdiction level risk management .............................................................................................. 14 5 DROUGHT ............................................................................................................................................... 19 5.1 RISKS AND IMPACTS ........................................................................................................................... 19 5.2 DROUGHT CASE STUDIES .................................................................................................................... 19 5.2.1 Drought Case study 2.1: Queensland Alumina Limited - Use of reclaimed town water .............. 19 5.2.2 Drought case study 2.2: Cadia East – Cumulative impact and regulatory constraint ................. 20 5.2.3 Drought Case study 2.3: Bulga – Thinking ahead about water security...................................... 21 5.3 SUMMARY OF ISSUES FROM CASE STUDIES .......................................................................................... 22 5.4 IMPACTS & ADAPTATION OPTIONS ........................................................................................................ 22 6 FEATURE: ADAPTING TO DROUGHTS AND FLOODS: MINIMISING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM MINE WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ........................................................................................ 24 6.1 NEGOTIATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF ALTERNATING EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS ................................... 24 6.2 THINKING ABOUT THE CATCHMENT ...................................................................................................... 24 6.3 MITIGATING IMPACTS THROUGH LEADING PRACTICE MINE WATER MANAGEMENT .................................... 25 6.4 SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS: TAILINGS DAMS ........................................................................... 26 6.4.1 Reducing the impact and improving adaptive capacity by reducing tailings dams ‘footprint’ ...... 26 6.4.2 Reducing the suspension ............................................................................................................ 26 6.4.3 Taking a long-term view: designing tailings storage facilities for operations and beyond mine closure 26 Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: a guide for mining and minerals industry professionals i 7 HIGHER TEMPERATURES, HEALTH AND SAFETY ........................................................................... 28 7.1 RISKS AND IMPACTS ........................................................................................................................... 28 7.2 HIGHER TEMPERATURE CASE