National recognition for Metro rehabilitation work

Metro Mining has taken out a national environment award for its work in restoring an area disturbed by an old kaolin mine at its Bauxite Hills site on Cape York. Metro Mining environment superintendent James Gray (left) and environment, communities and tenements manager Mark Imber (right) with David Salim from award sponsor Hetherington. The bauxite miner was last night named the winner of the AMEC Environment Award 2024 for the rehabilitation project. Managing director and chief executive officer Simon Wensley said the win was not just recognition of the technical and engineering execution of the project but the context. "We have rehabilitated a large tailings area, adjacent to a creek, which was left as a legacy on our lease from a previous mining project," he said. "This was achieved safely and efficiently by the site environmental and operations team whilst Metro was in turnaround mode, so it's kudos to everyone involved at the Bauxite Hills mine." The work was carried out in 2022 and 2023, with challenges including inundation, meaning the team had to wait for the area to sufficiently dry to use machinery on it. Mr Wensley said the work was about more than rehabilitation, it was about honouring the significance of Namaleta Creek—an area deeply valued for its cultural and environmental importance. This image shows the re-establishment of the natural creek line from the previously diverted channel. "We took on the challenge of restoring 14ha of legacy disturbance left from previous mining activities, ensuring the land is once again stable, self-sustaining, and safe." he said. Other winners last night included the WA1 Resources exploration team, who took out the AMEC Prospector Award for the Luni niobium discovery. Luni was found in 2022 after a maiden drill program at the company's West Arunta Project in an underexplored region of Western Australia 1200km east of Port Hedland. It represents the first major niobium discovery this century. This is a critical mineral with 90 per cent of its supply coming from Brazil and 80 per cent from one operation alone. Thiess won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Empowerment Award for its ‘Connect. Yarn. Grow.’ Indigenous employees conference. Mineral Resources was awarded the Community Contribution Award for its partnership with the McGovern Foundation and the highly successful ‘Wanderer Program’. MEC Mining was acknowledged for general manager Andrew Dittmann’s book ‘Mummy is a Miner’ and won the Diversity and Inclusion Award, while business journalist Brad Thompson won the Media Award. AMEC chief executive officer Warren Pearce said the annual awards were all about ‘Celebrating Industry Excellence’ and without a doubt there were plenty of incredible achievements to celebrate. “It’s important to have events like this, to take stock and reflect on the difference the mineral exploration and mining sectors make for so many people in Australia," he said. “We’re all aware that our high standard of living is linked to the economic strength of the resources industry. However, it’s the difference individuals and companies are making in the communities they operate that aren’t so often discussed.” Work in progress during the Metro Mining rehabilitation project.

National recognition for Metro rehabilitation work

Industry Queensland

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