Officers inspect NT mine sites with waste discharge licences
In the Northern Territory (NT), mining companies are required to obtain a Waste Discharge Licence (WDL) to release mine-influenced wastewater into the environment outside of a mine lease.
There are 10 active WDLs associated with mine sites, including those in care-and-maintenance or undergoing remediation. Over the next 3 years, WDLs will be incorporated into Environmental (Mining) Licences.
In the meantime, WDLs are administered by Environmental Regulation Division (the Division) and sit alongside deemed mining licences, administered by the Mining Division.
Mine-influenced wastewater from mining activities is considered a high potential risk to the environment and is a key focus area in the division’s 2024-2025 compliance plan. The compliance plan details a commitment to conduct site inspections of all mine sites that are actively discharging wastewater.
Inspections are a crucial part of the compliance assessment process. Officers have travelled across the Top End to inspect mine sites and ensure compliance with WDL conditions. These inspections include checks on mine infrastructure such as pits, waste rock dumps, tailings storage facilities, and water treatment plants, as well as authorised discharge points, monitoring points and downstream compliance points.
During these inspections, officers engage with licence holders to discuss performance improvements and corrective actions and review relevant monitoring data, documentation and data systems.
In recent months, officers have inspected the Cosmo Howley, Tom’s Gully, McArthur River, Grants Lithium, and BP33 lithium mines. These inspections follow inspections at the RTA Gove and Pine Creek sites late last year.
Overall, inspection findings show licence holders have demonstrated a high level of compliance with WDL conditions. They have installed appropriate signage and maintained discharge infrastructure. Officers observed that monitoring is being carried out by trained professionals and in accordance with established standards prescribed by the relevant WDL.
Additionally, significant rehabilitation efforts at some sites have led to improvements in discharge water quality. Water quality outcomes are assessed during a desktop review of an annual monitoring report. Importantly, site inspections have facilitated valuable discussions to enhance understanding of WDL conditions across the industry.
WDLs are an important part of our regulatory framework, supporting a risk-based system that enables development while minimising environmental harm. By fulfilling our commitments outlined in the compliance plan, we continue to strengthen our role as a regulator as one that both supports and ensures compliance.
