Abstract for: An Ecosystem Model of Post Mining Land Use

Returning mined land at closure to its pre-mining land use is not always desired or possible due to alterations of the landscape and socioeconomic context. Post Mining Land Use (PMLU) is often promoted as a solution, however significant effort is required in developing PMLU options with different land uses providing widely different outputs. The mine site can be a value driver by providing resources (among these water, waste and land) that can springboard these activities. To create a sustainable system, a holistic approach is needed to understand the whole business ecosystem and the inter-relationships between different PMLU activities and how these activities reinforce each other (generation of wastes, supply of energy, use of water and benefits developed), e.g., the inter-relationship between land, cropping for energy generation, irrigation of the crop with mine water and the impact on biomass generated and economic activity developed (measured as jobs). The ecosystem model developed simulates processes across value streams over the life of an asset, identifies opportunities and gaps in knowledge, improves the understanding of the business ecosystem, and supports investment decisions.