Abstract
Mine closure planning and financial analysis are among the most challenging and least rewarding areas of mine planning and operation. Closure is a distant future activity at the time of project planning. From a business perspective, it is a cashflow drain at the time of closure. For this reason, it is often approached as a peripheral activity which can be challenging from a trust standpoint between companies, communities and regulators. This session will engage a panel of experts in mineral economics, business planning, sustainability, and risk management to explore this area.
The panelists will discuss issues based on the following themes:
- Does conventional NPV represent closure adequately?
- What are alternative approaches to financial analysis of closure costs?
- When should closure funds be set aside? How much is enough? What are alternative forms of assurance?
- Are current closure regulations and closure planning conventions limiting sustainability?
- What sustainable opportunities be considered for closed mine sites?
- Closure-related business opportunities for local stakeholders