Flinders University in Adelaide
Mine closure and repatriation: What factors influence the development of frameworks for repatriation of material culture at mine closure sites? (FUPD #1 Postdoc-level project Year 2)
Developing frameworks for archaeology and cultural heritage during the mine closure process
By 2040, nearly 240 Australian mines are projected to close, signalling a major transition in the resources sector. Considerable attention is now being directed to creating formal process of mine closure including planning and managing the decommissioning of a mine site, mitigating impacts and legacy issues, undertaking environmental rehabilitation and eventually relinquishing the leases. For local communities – Indigenous and non-Indigenous – the mine closure process represents an important transition to a post-mining future where social, cultural and economic change continues long after a mine ceases production.
Despite being a significant part of a mine’s exploration, development and expansion phase, archaeology’s role in the mine closure process has rarely been considered. For example, artefacts collected during surveys or recovered during salvage excavations are key markers of Indigenous use of, and relationships with the landscape before mining occurred. What happens to these artefacts, where are they found today and what considerations for the archaeological and cultural heritage values need to be taken account during the mine closure process?
Based at Flinders University, this postdoctoral research project will undertake in-depth research with the Training Centre’s industry partners and other mine closure specialists to understand the factors that influence how archaeology and cultural heritage feature in the mine closure process. You will be responsible for collaborating to develop new and culturally- and community-informed frameworks to guide mine closure practitioners during this new era of mining activity.
By embedding archaeology and Indigenous knowledge in mine closure planning, this research will support more ethical, accountable and sustainable transitions to post-mining future.
