Rehabilitation of Drill Sites

Rehabilitation of Drill Sites
1. Introduction
This purpose of this Advisory Note is to assist exploration operators in the construction, rehabilitation and
closure of drill sites to minimise the disturbance footprint and ensure the protection of the environment. Drilling
activities have the potential to impact on the environment in a variety of ways, including contamination of
aquifers through the ingress of contaminants from the surface, interconnection between aquifers,
contamination of surface water, loss of flora and fauna, soil contamination from hydrocarbons and drill fluids,
and soil erosion. In addition, open holes pose a danger to people and wildlife and inhibit future exploration and
pastoral vehicles traversing the area. Likewise, bores used to access groundwater for exploration or mining
activities can constitute a hazard to public health and safety, and can adversely affect the quality and flow of
groundwater resources if abandoned without due concern. Therefore, it is imperative that drill sites are
remediated and bores are adequately prepared for abandonment when they are no longer required.
2. Legislation
The purpose of the Mining Management Act is to ensure the protection of the environment on mining sites and
for related purposes, including exploration. Under the Mining Management Act, every person has an obligation
to take care of the environment and ensure the rehabilitation of areas impacted by their activities.
3. Requirements
Drill pads and benches are to be constructed with minimum disturbance to the environment and remediated in
such a way as to reinstate the natural land surface, promote rapid revegetation and prevent the initiation of soil
erosion. Prior planning is required, as this helps to minimise the cost of rehabilitation and to reduce negative
impacts on the environment. Drillholes and bores that are abandoned to restore, as close as possible, the
controlling geological conditions that existed prior to drilling. In the Northern Territory exploration drillholes
must be backfilled to the surface with a suitable medium (eg concrete or drill cuttings). At a minimum, drillholes
are required to be plugged in the manner described in the diagrams below. It should be noted that the use of
Octoplugs is not endorsed. Special consideration for the protection of groundwater may be required where an
exploration drillhole intersects an aquifer.
4. Rehabilitation :
Dependent on site conditions and surrounding landscape, it may be necessary to conduct earthworks to stabilise
and reshape the site. The site is required to be remediated to as near original condition as possible, following
the completion of the drilling program. • Ground which has become compacted by the use of heavy machinery
and traffic is to be ripped along contour, not down slope, to loosen soil, promote water infiltration, aid
revegetation and minimise soil erosion. • Earth and overburden that was excavated from the pads and benches
is required to be pushed, raked or pulled back over. The stockpiled topsoil and vegetation should be re-spread
over the site. • All sample bags, waste materials and contaminants must be removed from site and disposed of
in an appropriate manner, following the completion of the drilling program. • Drill cuttings that are acidic,
radioactive or of a substantially different colour to the surface soil must be backfilled in the drillhole, sump or
other excavation. All other cuttings are required to be dispersed around the site or raked over. • Drill sumps
must be backfilled with the excavated material and respread with stored topsoil. • Permanent survey markers
should be kept to a minimum and wooden pegs should be used in preference to steel pegs. • Tracks constructed
to access the drill site must be remediated as per the department’s Advisory Note for the Clearing and
Rehabilitation of Exploration Gridlines and Tracks.
5. Please find example after drilling Site Rehabilitation :
True East Mining Company

Safety Team

Rehabilitation of Drill Sites

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rehabilitation of Drill Sites

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rehabilitation of Drill Sites

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rehabilitation of Drill Sites

5. Please find example after drilling Site Rehabilitation :

True East Mining Company

You might also like