How are various mine sites rehabilitated? How does this
contribute to the responsible use of natural resources?

This handbook adopts the following definition of rehabilitation:

Rehabilitation comprises the design and construction of landforms as well as the establishment of

sustainable ecosystems or alternative vegetation, depending upon desired post-operational land use.

Mine site rehabilitation should be designed to meet three key objectives:

1. the long-term stability and sustainability of the landforms, soils and hydrology of the site

2. the partial or full repair of ecosystem capacity to provide habitats for biota and services for

people (WA EPA 2006)

3. the prevention of pollution of the surrounding environment.

Various terms have been used to describe the repair of land disturbed by mining and other forms of land

use, including rehabilitation, reclamation, reconstruction, repair, restoration and revegetation. For

consistency with the National Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia (Standards

Reference Group SERA 2016), the two main terms used in this handbook are rehabilitation and restoration.

While the importance of strict definitions for terms such as rehabilitation and restoration has been

questioned, there is benefit in having a functional understanding of the differences between the two

processes. That understanding can also help to achieve more consistency in policy, legislation and

regulation governing environmental repair.

Explanation: