Hon Julie Freeman asks about rehabilitation liabilities and mine closure plans for the Boonanarring mine, particularly regarding land sales and timelines for updated plans. The Minister's response clarifies responsibilities and timelines.

AnsweredQoN 1121Legislative Council
Asked
19 November 2025
Portfolio
Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

Boonanarring mine—Rehabilitation1121.Hon Julie Freemanto
the minister representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:I refer to the
answer to question without notice 1018 asked on 12 November regarding Image Resources'
Boonanarring mine.(1) Noting that rehabilitation liabilities remain
with the tenement holder, will any unrehabilitated land sold by the company
continue to form part of the existing and any future mine closure plans?(2) Does the department assess proposed sales of
unrehabilitated land to ensure purchasers are fully informed of any ongoing
rehabilitation obligations or constraints attached to the land?(3) Noting that mining ceased in August 2023, what
does the minister consider to be an appropriate timeframe for the company to
submit and publicly release an updated mine closure plan?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
19 November 2025
Response time
0 days
Hon Matthew Swinbourn replied:Can the member
confirm that was C1303?Hon Julie Freeman:That's correct.Hon Matthew Swinbourn:The member lodged a very
similar question yesterday; it was very much the same.I thank the member
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum.(1) Under theMining
Act 1978, when tenements are transferred, the liability for the
rehabilitation of a mine remains with the mining tenement holder.(2) The onus is on
prospective tenement holders to undertake due diligence and understand the
assets andliabilities associated with a tenement being considered for
purchase. Under the Mining Act, the Department of Mines, Petroleum and
Exploration (DMPE) facilitates the transfer of mining tenements. DMPE is not
involved in any sale agreement between an existing tenement holder and a
prospective buyer.(3) DMPE continues to monitor and conduct site
inspections at the Image Resources Boonanarring mine site. The revised mine
closure plan is due for submission by 31 December 2025. Once approved, mine
closure plans are published on MINEDEX for public access.
Boonanarring mine—Rehabilitation

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