Integrating water and energy solutions for socio-economic transition after mine closure

Non-technical summary Mining activities have intensive water and energy needs that require reliable infrastructure for ongoing supply. In several jurisdictions, regulations require mining companies to clear all service infrastructure as part of closure planning. This creates significant challenges for remote communities near mine sites that often rely on company-sponsored infrastructure for essential services such as energy and water. Unreliable or unaffordable services not only impact the local quality of life but can also significantly constrain post-closure economic diversification opportunities. This uncertainty in reliable access to critical public services in mining-dependent communities has received little attention in contemporary scholarship on mine closure planning. Technical summary Reliable and affordable access to water and energy is critical to supporting remote mining-dependent communities in planning their social and economic transition after mine closure. Traditional cost-efficiency approaches employed by service providers have consistently failed on two accounts. First, they have paid little consideration to community needs in planning supply solutions. Second, typically, a single-minded focus on cost-effectiveness has led to isolated initiatives for energy supply, without considering their interface with sustainable water management. These practices have often led to unreliable and unaffordable services, particularly in remote jurisdictions, where community capacity is low, and over-reliance on company-supported infrastructure is common. This paper proposes a novel conceptual approach to planning integrated water and energy solutions to address these shortcomings. An integrated systems design offers several advantages, including optimal resource use, system and price efficiency, and reduced risk of social and environmental consequences. These advantages, in turn, support socio-economic development needs and may build community confidence in pursuing economic diversification post-mining. The framework, rooted in the principles of stakeholder engagement and intersectoral coordination, offers a critical resource for mine closure planners, regulators, and communities to minimise negative impacts from the closure of long-established mining operations and create new pathways to transition post-mining.

Energy transition · Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact · Mining and Resource Management · Water Governance and Infrastructure

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