Course description

This course will not be offered in 2023. Students should enrol in ENVM3305 Environmental Management in Mining.

As demand for many mineral commodities grows, so too do the environmental impacts of mining and mineral processing. Effectively managing the impacts of historic, current and proposed mine sites is essential to carefully balance stakeholder expectations, regulatory requirements, and financial costs to mining companies. This course provides an introduction to environmental management in mining. Through a combination of lectures, practicals, field trips and exposure to industry, students will obtain a basic understanding of the global mining sector. They will learn how to identify, assess and mitigate potential impacts that emerge throughout the mining life cycle and manage a range of uncertainties (e.g. technology, expenses, stakeholder expectations) when developing management plans. They will also be able to critically assess existing environmental management approaches and suggest improvements to better align them with international best practice. These skills will enable students to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to create effective environmental management plans. Emphasis is placed on case studies to illustrate major themes of the course with real world examples.

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