3 Jabiluka 3.1 Monitoring 3.1.1 Monitoring during the care and maintenance A monitoring regime for Jabiluka during the care and maintenance needs to be implemented and regularly reviewed. The monitoring program (addressing chemical, biological, sedimentalogical and radiological issues) should be commensurate with the environmental risks posed by the site, but should also serve as a component of any program to collect baseline data required before development such as meteorological and sediment load data. 3.2 Research 3.2.1 Research required prior to any development A review of knowledge is required to assess minimum requirements in advance of any development. This review would include radiological data, the groundwater regime (permeabilities, aquifer connectivity etc), hydrometeorological data, waste rock erosion, assess site-specific ecotoxicology for uranium, additional baseline for flora and fauna surveys. 4 Nabarlek 4.1 Success of revegetation 4.1.1 Revegetation assessment Several assessments of the revegetation at Nabarlek have been undertaken; the most recent eriss. being completed by There is now general agreement that the rehabilitated areas require further work. Revised closure criteria are currently being developed through the mine-site technical committee and these should be reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including ARRTC. The required works should then be completed on site with further monitoring leading to the relinquishment of the lease. 4.1.2 Development of revegetation monitoring method A methodology and monitoring regime for the assessment of revegetation success at Nabarlek needs to be developed and implemented. Currently, resource intensive detailed vegetation and soil characterisation assessments along transects located randomly within characteristic areas of the rehabilitated landform are being undertaken. Whilst statistically valid, these assessments cover only a very small proportion of the site. Remote sensing (satellite) data are also being collected and the efficacy of remote sensing techniques for vegetation assessment in comparison to ground survey methods should continue. The outcomes of this research will be very relevant to Ranger.
3 Jabiluka 3.1 Monitoring 3.1.1 Monitoring during the care and maintenance A monitoring regime for Jabiluka during the care and maintenance needs to be implemented and regularly reviewed. The monitoring program (addressing chemical, biological, sedimentalogical and radiological issues) should be commensurate with the environmental risks posed by the site, but should also serve as a component of any program to collect baseline data required before development such as meteorological and sediment load data. 3.2 Research 3.2.1 Research required prior to any development A review of knowledge is required to assess minimum requirements in advance of any development. This review would include radiological data, the groundwater regime (permeabilities, aquifer connectivity etc), hydrometeorological data, waste rock erosion, assess site-specific ecotoxicology for uranium, additional baseline for flora and fauna surveys. 4 Nabarlek 4.1 Success of revegetation 4.1.1 Revegetation assessment Several assessments of the revegetation at Nabarlek have been undertaken; the most recent being completed by eriss. There is now general agreement that the rehabilitated areas require further work. Revised closure criteria are currently being developed through the mine-site technical committee and these should be reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including ARRTC. The required works should then be completed on site with further monitoring leading to the relinquishment of the lease. 4.1.2 Development of revegetation monitoring method A methodology and monitoring regime for the assessment of revegetation success at Nabarlek needs to be developed and implemented. Currently, resource intensive detailed vegetation and soil characterisation assessments along transects located randomly within characteristic areas of the rehabilitated landform are being undertaken. Whilst statistically valid, these assessments cover only a very small proportion of the site. Remote sensing (satellite) data are also being collected and the efficacy of remote sensing techniques for vegetation assessment in comparison to ground survey methods should continue. The outcomes of this research will be very relevant to Ranger.
ssd-annual-report-11-12.docx