The Leading Practice Program aimed to identify the key issues affecting sustainable development in the mining industry and provide information and case studies to enable a more sustainable basis for its operations. The output of the program was a series of handbooks relevant to all stages of a mine’s life—exploration, feasibility, design, construction, operation, closure and rehabilitation. This reference guide consolidates the information in the handbooks into a single reference guide, organised in such a way to reflect the life cycle of a mining operation. Reflecting their importance in highlighting the key messages, selected case studies have been retained. The handbook is primarily intended for use as a management tool to improve sustainability outcomes on mine sites. The target audience for this reference text play a variety of roles in and around the industry although the primary focus is onsite mine management—the pivotal level for implementing leading practice at mining operations.
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. (2011). A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining (Leading Practice Sustainable Development Program). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.