BMTJV is currently seeking public feedback on the closure of the Mount Bischoff mine.

Please complete the linked short survey: Mount Bischoff Mine Closure (office.com)

History

The Mount Bischoff tin deposit was discovered in 1871 and was the first major mineral resource developed in Tasmania, producing around 62,000 tonnes of tin through its open pit and underground operations.

The mine was the first Australian industrial plant to be lit by hydroelectricity and in 1886 the mining manager extended electricity into Waratah, making it the first town in Australia to have streetlights.

After 70 years of continuous production, the mine closed when tin prices decreased in the 1940s.

Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture (BMTJV) recommenced mining operations at Mt Bischoff in 2008 and ore was trucked for processing at the Renison mill. 

In 2010 Mt Bischoff was placed in care and maintenance. The mine is now being prepared for permanent closure.

What is mine closure?

Mine closure is the formal process of decommissioning a mine, including planning and managing environmental rehabilitation, future land uses and social impacts.

Bluestone has engaged leading experts in integrated mine closure planning, Okane, to develop a closure plan for Mt Bischoff, with assistance in community consultation from GHD.  

The plan is being developed to reduce legacy environmental impacts, preserve important heritage areas, and re-purpose areas of the site for new uses, including the potential to open up areas for recreational access.

Additionally, the mine closure plan aims to understand and preserve what is important to the community within the environmental constraints.

What will closure of the Mount Bischoff mine involve?

The closure plan for Mt Bischoff is still in active development and subject to refinement in response to feedback from regulators, closure experts and the local community.

Our Closure Objectives are to create a landscape that:

• supports the post-mining land use;
• has a net positive impact on the water quality of the Waratah and Arthur Rivers;
• is geotechnically stable; and
• provides safe access to areas nominated for recreational use

The strategy involves relocating the Happy Valley Waste Rock Dump to fill-in the Main Pit, with the broader area to be capped and rehabilitated. Areas of historical significance will be preserved and protected where possible.

How long will the process take?

BMTJV is working to submit a final closure plan for regulatory approval in late 2024.

The closure plan will be assessed by the Environmental Protection Authority, in coordination with experts from Mineral Resources Tasmania and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. This process will include further opportunities for public comment, with an anticipated decision in 2025.

If approved, closure works are expected to be carried out over a number of years as seasonal conditions allow.