DMIRS updates FAQs for 2016 Mining Proposal Guidelines

The department has revised two existing FAQ documents to support its Guideline for Mining Proposals in Western Australia (2016) and also developed a new FAQ document on Annual Environmental Reporting.
Date: Thursday, 19 July 2018

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) has recently updated its existing Frequently Asked Questions documents for the 2016 Mining Proposal Guideline. Both the general FAQ document and the transition FAQ document have been updated to provide greater clarity on how the new Guideline applies to mine sites, and how the transition period applies to existing sites.

DMIRS Acting Executive Director, Resource and Environmental Compliance, Karen Caple said one of the main updates to the transition FAQ document is to clarify that mining projects in a closure phase do not need to transition to the 2016 Mining Proposal Guideline.

“If a project is not planning to expand or alter its operations after the transition period (from 1 January 2023) there is no need to submit a new Mining Proposal and therefore no need to transition. A Mine Closure Plan (MCP) is the key approval document necessary for outlining a company’s closure plans,” Ms Caple explained.

DMIRS also drafted a new Annual Environmental Reporting FAQ document to support its 2016 Mining Proposal Guidelines.

The information outlines how to submit an Annual Environmental Report (AER) for a Mining Proposal submitted under the Guideline for Mining Proposals in Western Australia (2016), in particular how to report performance against approved environmental outcomes and performance criteria.

More information about how to submit a revision to an approved Mining Proposal has also been included in the general FAQ document.