Description
The Ashmore, Seppelt 1 and Seppelt 2 former diamond mine sites are located on Balanggarra Native Title Determined area approximately 75 km east of Kalumburu and 150 km northwest of Wyndham.
Three mining tenements were forfeited in November 2019 leaving a legacy of abandoned mine features over 67 ha, including pit voids, tailings areas, waste rock, low-grade stockpiles, costeans, redundant infrastructure and access roads. The site was declared an abandoned mine in 2021. The Ashmore Seppelt site is remote, has very limited access and works will be limited to the monsoon dry season, presenting challenges for rehabilitation.
Strategic objectives
- To minimise significant environmental and safety risks associated with mining activities in the Ashmore Seppelt project area.
- With consideration of heritage values, to enhance the potential future use of the site through rehabilitation.
Program implementation framework
| Desktop assessment | Investigation | Planning | Implementation | Monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial site risk assessment 2020 (C) | Aerial imagery and LiDAR 2021 (C) | Project Plan 2024 – 2025 (U) | Declaration as an abandoned mine 2021 (C) | Monitoring of environmental indicators to ensure the site has met objectives for post-project land use (at minimum the site is safe, stable, and non-polluting) (P) |
| Preliminary project plan 2021 (C) | Aerial imagery and LiDAR 2025 (P) | Design mapping 2024 - 2026 (U) | Re-establishment of access road 2025 (P) |
Revoke abandoned mine declaration (P) |
| Disturbance mapping 2020 (C) | Aerial imagery ground control survey 2025 (P) | Deconstruction of abandoned and obsolete infrastructure 2025 (P) | ||
| Closure/rehabilitation gap study 2021 (C) | Inventory of abandoned and obsolete infrastructure 2025 (P) | Controlled waste removal 2026 (P) | ||
| Material characterisation of disturbance features (C) | Rehabilitation earthworks 2026 (P) | |||
| Stakeholder engagement commenced 2021 and is ongoing (U) |
Schedule: Completed (C); Underway (U); Planned (P)
