Mine remediation program boosts regional NT

A six-month, $5.5 million program to remediate legacy mine sites in Tennant Creek has been finalised by the Northern Territory Government.

The program aims to address public safety risks from historical mine sites, while creating valuable employment and economic benefits for regional Territorians, as part of the Department of Mining and Energy’s ‘Legacy Mines Small Mines Safety Program’.

Minister for mining and energy Gerard Maley said the NT Government is committed to supporting regional economies and protecting communities by ensuring legacy mine sites are remediated.

“Mining has been an integral part of the Northern Territory’s history for more than 150 years, but historical mining activities have left behind a range of legacy features such as open shafts, degraded infrastructure, tailings dams, and waste rock dumps,” Maley said.

“The safety program we’ve delivered in Tennant Creek is addressing these risks by remediating over 260 legacy mine features, keeping the public safe and providing significant local employment opportunities for Territorians.

“This is about delivering on-the-ground results for regional and remote areas, with real benefits for local communities.”

Delivered by DAC Enterprises, the Tennant Creek safety works included backfilling of 182 mine voids, installing 27 shaft covers and 35 adit covers, and fencing and signposting 16 mine voids.

Throughout the program, DAC utilised 19 local businesses in Tennant Creek, created six new jobs, and employed four Aboriginal workers, a significant economic boost for a regional town with 3000 people.

Minister for Aboriginal affairs and member for Barkly, Steve Edgington, said the program has been a real boost for Tennant Creek, creating local jobs and supporting businesses.

“It’s great to see the CLP (Country Liberal Party) government prioritising regional towns like ours and delivering projects that make a tangible difference,” Edgington said.

“The work done through the legacy mine program shows how investment in regional communities can pay off.

“These jobs and business opportunities are essential for Tennant Creek and the Barkly region, and I look forward to seeing more of these projects roll out across the Territory.”

For Alice Springs and Pine Creek, planning is now underway for the next phase of remediation works, with a tender for small mines safety works around Alice Springs to be released in the next few months.

The remediation of further legacy mine sites in Alice Springs and Pine Creek will be included in the next phase of the program, with works progressing for legacy mine audits in the Katherine and Darwin regions as well.