Every mine has an end date. What's left behind, a safe, stable, self-sustaining landscape, or a long-term liability depends largely on decisions made years earlier.
Across Australia, regulators, investors, Traditional Owners and communities are placing more focus on mine closure. In Western Australia, operators are required to prepare and regularly update Mine Closure Plans, and closure performance is increasingly scrutinised as part of broader ESG expectations.
At MDM Mining & Civil, rehabilitation isn't a side service. As an Indigenous-owned business, returning land to Country is part of who we are. Here's why we believe closure planning should start on day one.
Closure is cheaper when it's planned
The most expensive way to close a mine is to wait until operations have finished. By then, waste dumps may be built in the wrong shape, topsoil may be degraded or lost, and bulk material may need to be moved twice.
When closure is considered from the beginning, contractors and mine planners can:
Place waste in its final location, shaped close to final landform, avoiding double handling
Strip and store topsoil properly so it remains viable for rehabilitation
Design drainage for the long term, not just for the operating life of the mine
Identify problem materials early, such as dispersive or acid-forming material, and encapsulate them correctly
Progressive rehabilitation: closing as you go
Progressive rehabilitation means rehabilitating areas as soon as they're no longer needed, rather than leaving everything to the end. It's one of the most effective ways to reduce closure liability.
Benefits include:
Lower closure costs and smaller financial provisions
Early evidence that rehabilitation methods work in local conditions
Reduced erosion and dust during operations
Stronger relationships with regulators, Traditional Owners and communities
What good rehabilitation earthworks look like
Successful rehabilitation depends on getting the earthworks right. Typical scopes we deliver include:
Landform design and reshaping - reducing batter slopes and creating stable, natural-looking landforms that shed water safely
Surface water management - contour banks, drains and rock-armoured channels that control flow and limit erosion
Topsoil and growth medium placement - respreading at the right depth and timing to support seeding and vegetation
Ripping and surface treatment - creating conditions that capture rainfall and seed
Infrastructure removal and backfill — decommissioning pads, roads, dams and services
Survey and verification - using GPS machine control and drone survey to prove the finished landform matches design
Precision matters. Our fleet uses 3D machine guidance so operators build to design the first time, and our surveyors provide as-built data clients can rely on for reporting and sign-off.
Case in point: Smoke Creek
In mid-2026, MDM was head contractor on the Smoke Creek project for the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (DMPE) under its Abandoned Mines Program. The former diamond exploration site sits about 185 km south of Kununurra, beside the Ramsar-listed Lake Argyle wetlands, on Miriuwung Gajerrong Country.
The scope covered demolition of the old processing plant, gantries and camp, removal and recycling of waste and scrap, and rehabilitation earthworks across the tailings, camp and stockpile areas. Working alongside Indigenous demolition contractor Thuroona Services, our crew mobilised on 11 May and demobilised on 9 June, finishing ahead of schedule.
It's the same approach we bring to closure works at the Argyle Diamond Mine, including TSF West, where water-retention ponds and earth walls were built to protect Limestone Creek. Read the full Smoke Creek story.
Returning land to Country
For many of our team, rehabilitation work carries personal meaning. These are the landscapes their families have lived on for generations. Leaving them safe, stable and healthy isn't just a contractual requirement, it's a responsibility.
That's why we describe what we do in three words: Moving earth. Building access. Restoring land.
Talk to us early
Whether you're planning a new operation, reviewing your Mine Closure Plan or preparing for final closure, bringing an experienced rehabilitation contractor in early can save time, money and risk.
Explore our mine rehabilitation and mine closure services, or contact our team to discuss your project.
